tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7226567822455518802017-07-29T02:15:04.622-07:00Jake Casella's BlogCoffee, SF, the Good Life.jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.comBlogger59125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-64669079327287116882014-12-30T08:55:00.001-08:002014-12-30T08:55:27.115-08:00New SF/F projectHey folks! If you're still following or have somehow stumbled upon this blog, bless your heart. I may still do some philosophy/coffee/miscellany on here occasionally.<br /><br />But!<br /><br />I have a new SF/F web project connected to Chicagoland-area book clubs:<br /><br /><a href="http://positronchicago.blogspot.com/"><span style="font-size: large;">Positron Chicago</span></a><br /><br />It's first-and-foremost a resource to get people to find out about and attend SF/F book discussions. I'm also doing some write-ups on meetings, thoughts on books, and resources on conventions &amp; conferences &amp; other events.jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-49767969114034803772014-01-22T09:13:00.001-08:002014-01-22T09:13:20.997-08:00Thoughts on Walter Jon Williams "Dread Empire's Fall"Lately I've been craving some military SF, which is a sub-genre I usually steer pretty clear of. In particular, I've been looking for shouting-distance-of-realistic space opera, hard SF kind of stuff. It's tough to find work that doesn't bring in too much "magitech": technology that doesn't have its basis in any known science. Artificial gravity and inertial dampeners, for example.<br /><br />I'm quite willing to forgive some specific types of magitech in the pursuit of a good story--some kind of faster-than-light technology is all but necessary for any kind of interstellar tale that has humans as major characters. But too much magitech (or just plain old ignoring physics) is why there are almost no realistic depictions of space combat in film SF. The Star Wars model of 18th century naval battles, spiced up with World War Two-style dog-fighting, remains the default representation. This may make for entertaining visuals, but does so by sacrificing the intellectual and emotional impact of a higher degree of physical realism.<br /><br />Cherryh, of course, got me thinking this way. The strength of her alien and culturally-focussed "softer" work tends to overshadow books like "Rimrunner" and the "Heavy Time/Hellburner" sequence; revisiting them recently was a real delight, as they are incredibly tightly, even claustrophobically scripted, more interpersonal and psychological than the broader casts of her other sequences.<br /><br />But what has really been grabbing my imagination is the space combat aspect. Her particular take on it is more like submarine warfare than anything else--a lot of waiting, a lot of carefully calculated decisions, a very tense wait-and-see environment. This is built on a framework of immense distance and high velocities, one that makes good narrative use of uncertainty, of the desperately hard limits set by simple Newtonian rules on fragile tin cans in the vacuum.<br /><br />Finding SF novels of that general species has proven strangely difficult. I find that scarcity particularly weird given the large slices of SF generally designated "hard" and/or "military". The truth is, I think, that without bringing a lot of magitech into the equation, space travel &amp; combat are hard to deal with in an interesting fashion; much of the fun of SF is in off-the-wall creativity, and there's not much room for that in rocket physics.<br /><br />But! That intro aside, searching for this kind of stuff lead me to Walter Jon Williams' "Dread Empires Fall" trilogy. And it's quite good! There is a glorious lack of magitech, excepting the device of wormholes for interstellar jumps--and even there, he posits a mass-balancing requirement that necessitates wormhole stations flinging junk mass through them to prevent disruption by passing ships.<br /><br />Most pleasing to me in terms of what I was looking for was the time and acceleration constraints of long-distance, high-v maneuvers. The medical cost of high acceleration, the time needed to decelerate afterwards, the months-long turnaround time for miscalculated maneuvers--all very well done.<br /><br />Williams uses a narrative device similar to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butlerian_Jihad" target="_blank">Butlerian Jihad</a> to set his board--the suicide/abdication of a supremely powerful race called the Shaa, who have bent all known species under a totalitarian system for millennia. In addition to outlawing AI and genetic sciences with extreme prejudice, the Shaa have generally created an extremely rigid, feudalistic, and conservative society among their conquered nations. The absence of advanced computer intelligences, coupled with a few characters suddenly innovating in a military world dominated by rigid formations and rank based on politics rather than merit, allow the reader to discover and enjoy some of the nuances of the space environment along with the main characters.<br /><br />The biggest strength of the trilogy is those two main characters, Gareth Martinez and Caroline Sula. Except for a few odd departures, the narrative viewpoint focuses on the two of them throughout the trilogy, and, despite a hint of corrugation and a few eye-roll inducing tricks (like including a long mathematical passage that makes Sula go "oh, of course!" to prove that she's a smart or whatever), it's these two characters that pull you through--Williams does a good job of using their often-frustrated desire for each other to move the reader back and forth between two increasingly distinct plots.<br /><br />A little bit of help is good, because the pacing is pretty unsteady. Clocking in at a "mere" 1,500 pages or so, "Dread Empire's Fall" isn't on the extreme side of genre-bloat, but it's still rough going at times. The serialization seems almost random--chapters and novels end without satisfying plot or prose, and there are a few meandering sequences (such as Martinez's abrupt switch to procedural-crime-type investigation) that do little to deepen our appreciation for the world or characters.<br /><br />My biggest complaint with the trilogy is its strangely amoral feeling. Its lack of critical engagement with issues it puts to the forefront but never really takes a stance on is particularly weird: both Sula &amp; Martinez give us perspective on a society that is founded on violence, that has deeply troubling and clearly unfair class issues, that is failing to rise to the challenges facing it largely because of its ossified system of cronyism and nepotism in its arrogantly aristocratic structure. These conservative tendencies are villainized, or at least ridiculed, but there's no real move to replace the forms with more legitimate ones. After leading the most inventive, merit-based, and democratic branch of the resistance, the self-made Sula is packed off to an obscure post, with the potential romantic relationship with Martinez solidly nixed in a final passage that seems bizarrely punitive towards her character.<br /><br />Furthermore, no-one in this series seems to be even slightly troubled, on principle, by the use of torture, mutilation, and massacring of innocents at a huge scale as political tools. The series also embraces the oldest and most thinly-veiled racist trope of all, the bug-eyed monster: the "villains" employ the exact same tactics and rationale as everybody else, but are to be feared and hated because they look like insects. So it's totally okay to brutally murder them even if they're noncombatants!<br /><br />The book doesn't read as particularly grim; it's actually quite light. Eddie Izzard's bit from Circle on the British Empire ("We lost it by going 'Oh, do you think so?' and 'ummm...' A lot! And "Oh really? Have they?!") was in my mind a lot. That very lightness makes the issues of violence and corrupt power all the stranger as I get further away from it. One walks away with the idea that being incredibly inflexible and hide-bound can be a disastrous thing, which is well and good...but the slightly-more-savvy, still totally unjust system of kleptocracy and nepotism is largely unshaken.<br /><br />Still, an enjoyable and fairly light read, and made me think a lot about varying biological response to g forces, which honestly is all one can ask from a novel, yes?<br />jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-53386253144503958712013-10-22T19:49:00.001-07:002013-10-22T19:52:17.240-07:00Rules from My Nonsensical Dictatorship: Pumpkin Carving<br /><ol><li>Thou shalt make no mark or incision on the pumpkin's exterior with anything other than the carving instrument.</li><li>Thou shalt make no cut on the pumpkin which does not pierce through to the hollow interior, later to admit the light of the flame.</li><li>The use of guides or stencils is strictly forbidden.</li><li>Thou shalt discard any section of the pumpkin cut free, preferably in fire.</li><li>Addition of any non-pumpkin material, such as paint or accessories, is strictly forbidden.</li><li>Thou shalt use no light source other than open flame. Concern for fire prevention in lantern-lighting is frowned upon.</li><li>Thou shalt take no undue care to keep the lantern safe from vandals. All pumpkins are offered as sacrifice to vandalism, and the night.</li><li>When rot or vandalism end a lantern's life, please, consider composting. Disposal by fire is also acceptable.</li><li>Thou shalt eat of the seeds of any pumpkin you carve, and reflect briefly on <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuru_(disease)" target="_blank">kuru</a>.</li><li>Carving of non-pumpkin gourds and squashes, while not strictly forbidden, may merit surveillance from the local authorities.</li></ol>jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-56234876926255274232013-06-12T21:51:00.000-07:002013-06-13T13:47:44.025-07:00"The Good Old Days"Any non-ironic use of "the olden days" drives me up the wall.<br /><br />A little out of character for me/this blog, but I saw this being shared on Facebook today:<br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><span class="fbPhotosPhotoCaption" data-ft="{&quot;type&quot;:45}" id="fbPhotoSnowliftCaption" tabindex="0"><span class="hasCaption">Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman, that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment.<br /> <br /> The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days." The young clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment f or future gener<span class="text_exposed_show">ations."<br /> <br /> She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in its day.<br /> <br /> Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were truly recycled. But we didn't have the green thing back in our day.<br /> <br /> Grocery stores bagged our groceries in brown paper bags, that we reused for numerous things, most memorable besides household garbage bags, was the use of brown paper bags as book covers for our schoolbooks. This was to ensure that public property, (the books provided for our use by the school) was not defaced by our scribbling's. Then we were able to personalize our books on the brown paper bags. But too bad we didn't do the green thing back then.<br /> <br /> We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day. <br /> <br /> Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throwaway kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy-gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that young lady is right; we didn't have the green thing back in our day.<br /> <br /> Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana.<br /> <br /> In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap.<br /> <br /> Back then, we didn't fire up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right; we didn't have the green thing back then.<br /> <br /> We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn't have the green thing back then.<br /> <br /> Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 23,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest burger joint.<br /> <br /> But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then? <br /> <br /> Please forward this on to another selfish old person who needs a lesson in conservation from a smart-ass young person.</span></span></span></i></blockquote><br /><span class="userContent">Okay look, so, I need to be a downer here.<br /> <br /> These are all good and laudable practices.<br /> <br /> But let's be real careful with our nostalgia here.<br /> <br /><span class="text_exposed_show"> Washing our diapers by hand isn't going to bring back the ice caps. Or frogs.<br /> <br /> Getting overly-nostalgic about a rose-tinted "good old days", handily absent a specific time period, is one of my biggest pet peeves. It's a wonderful way of subtly blaming the victim.<br /> <br /> And the victim is us, my friends.<br /> <br /> In general, I am very optimistic about the future; that is to say, I think this is overall the best time to be alive, and it's likely to get better. That said:<br /> <br /> Climate change is real and huge and we're only going to see it more. Massive pollution, poor land use, and eradication of biodiversity are not going away. The looting and plundering of our financial system and economy, the glaring loss of equality and opportunity for 99% of Americans, the expensive-to-rectify conversion of our cities into glorified automobile exchanges instead of vibrant public spaces--these are real and long-term problems that were all set up in the "good old days". The failure to address most of these issues in any timely or meaningful way is largely due to people in power who were raised in and try to emulate "the good old days".<br /> <br /> When we uncritically perpetuate the myth of a golden age we've all fallen from (apparently the '50s, which--if that doesn't give you pause...read a book, people), we not only blame the present (or at least the very recent past) for problems that go back much further, we risk ignoring the attendant issues (sexism &amp; racism to an extent that seems almost surreal today springs to mind, not that those battles are done), the extent to which these technologies were not romantic and fun, but back-breaking and time-consuming, and, much larger, how this entire system was enabled by and led to our current state of affairs: coasting on an affluence at least partially derived from rampant exploitation of the environment, embracing a military/industrial/capitalist combo that yielded a lot of changes in quality of life, but also resulted in all these environmental and social problems.<br /> <br /> Should we an embrace less wasteful, more personal technologies in our lives? Absolutely. But the way forward, unsurprisingly, is not back. We're going to need new solutions to deal with the legacy of environmental damage left to us by "the good old days". There's no justice possible for these kinds of distributed, cross-generational harms, and there's only so much use in being angry about things done by society at large, in the past--but think twice before you buy too heavily into this kind of argument about how good and green we were "back then".</span></span>jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-55704101245204014302013-03-29T17:38:00.000-07:002013-06-08T12:01:49.404-07:00Pascal's Wager: Makes Me Want a Derringer<br /><a href="http://www.radiolab.org/" target="_blank">Radiolab</a> is my favorite podcast, and the only one I listen to with any frequency.&nbsp; They have interesting subject matter, usually focused on a scientific topic of some kind, and furthermore have just amazing editing.&nbsp; They've restored my faith in radio, if I can say such a thing.<br /><br />I was listening to their last episode, "Are You Sure?" while doing the dishes last night. They were finishing up a section on poker strategy: the first time I've heard <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pot_odds" target="_blank">pot odds</a> explained. I'm not a gambler, but now that I know mental math's involved...<br /><br />Out of the blue, they are talking about Pascal's Wager as being "pot odds on God".&nbsp; I stand there, rinsing my incredibly unmatched collection of silverware, waiting for Jad &amp; Robert to blow this thing out of the water and...they don't.<br /><br />Incredibly disappointed.&nbsp; Beyond that, in fact, because in presenting Pascal's Wager as (at least very possibly) valid, my favorite science-promotin' radio personae have effectively proselytized for a Christian god, for any gullible listeners out there.&nbsp; Distressing <br /><br />One of my philosophy professors said to the class once: there are three kinds of logic.&nbsp; Inductive, deductive, and seductive, and the last category isn't actually logic at all.&nbsp; The Wager is a prime example of seductive logic--on first listen, if you're a person who is somewhat persuaded by rational argument, it sounds great.<br /><br />So: it's about whether or not to believe in God.&nbsp; The basic argument goes: if God exists, and I believe, I give up some things I might otherwise have done in my life, but if I get infinite happiness in the blessed afterlife etc.&nbsp; If he doesn't exist, the worst that can happen by believing falsely is, again, I give up some things I might otherwise have done in my life. But, and this of course is the kicker, if he exists and I don't believe, punishment for all eternity.<br /><br />Let's see if I can remember how to do html tables: this might help.<br /><br /><table border="1"><tbody><tr><td></td><td><b>God Exists</b></td><td><b>God Doesn't Exist</b></td></tr><tr><td><b>Believe</b></td><td>Heaven! (Infinite gain) </td><td>Made sacrifices for belief. (Finite loss) </td></tr><tr><td><b>Don't Believe</b></td><td>Hell! (Infinite loss) </td><td>Lived the godless life you really wanted. (Finite gain)</td></tr></tbody></table><br />Put this way, belief in God is a "good bet".<br /><br />I want to rip this to shreds on a couple of different levels.&nbsp; Please note: not doing this out of purely atheist peevishness.&nbsp; This argument is bunk, and many theists have also been zapping it since it was first proposed.<br /><br />By the way, fun fact, don't trust any quasi-mathematical/logical argument that uses "infinity" or "eternity" in any capacity.<br /><br /><u><b>Problem One:</b></u> Belief.<br /><br />So, Pascal, God is a sucker, and will buy it when you claim to "believe" after using this gambling-style logic for your own benefit?<br /><br />Blaise actually addresses this, essentially saying "fake it until you make it"--profess a belief and live according to it until you come to really believe it, even if in the beginning you were only paying it lip service.&nbsp; Weirdly honest...&nbsp; Many theists have a problem with this approach, though, arguing that if an omniscient God cares about your belief, he's going to want it to be more genuine.<br /><br />Corollary problem: is belief enough?&nbsp; Many takes on divine beings require practice, action of various kinds.&nbsp; Satan and, by extension, at least some stripes of Satanists would hold a belief in God, does that mean they're all good?<br /><br /><u><b>Problem Two:</b></u> Which god?<br /><br />There are incompatible takes on the Christian God.&nbsp; Pick wrong, you might go to hell.<br /><br />Gets worse. The main branches of faith in the Abrahamic God (Judaism, Christianity, Islam) disagree pretty severely in many areas. Pick wrong, you might go to hell.<br /><br />Gets worse. There's a much bigger number of extant or historical religions that have the right god to believe in.&nbsp; In addition to Yaweh, we've got Zeus, Shiva, and Odin lined up, to name just a few.&nbsp; Pick wrong, you might go someplace really exciting.<br /><br />Wait, wait--there's actually an infinite number of potential things to believe in/worship.&nbsp; The<a href="http://www.venganza.org/" target="_blank"> Flying Spaghetti Monster</a> is a good one, but so's the broom in my pantry.<br /><br />And, to top it off, the Real God might be a jerk-- dooming everybody at random. Bizarro God might reward nonbelievers and punish believers.&nbsp; Impractical God might require something we can't or won't do to get into heaven (befriending a dinosaur, dancing on another planet, eating your firstborn, etc).&nbsp; Basically Not Interested God might only offer heaven to lemurs and marigolds, everybody else burns. Incomprehensible God might just be something too weird for us to wrap our heads around (actually many theists would agree with some version of this), so it's difficult to say what "belief" in such a good really means.<br /><br />And, to show my atheist colors a bit: there's really no evidential reason to prefer one of these gods to the others; that's one of the things the Pastafarians and <a href="http://principiadiscordia.com/book/5.php" target="_blank">Discordians</a> are pointing out.<br /><br />So now, from the gambler's perspective, we have an incredibly low chance of picking the right god to believe in (and then also having to hold the right beliefs/lifestyles required by that god).&nbsp; Suddenly the "no-brainer" wager doesn't look so smart.&nbsp; Especially given:<br /><br /><u><b>Problem Three:</b></u> What are we actually sacrificing?<br /><br />Theists who deploy the Wager to actually convince non-believers are typically going to phrase the sacrifice as: maybe you'll have a little less fun, but you'll be basically being a better person as a bonus, and you still get the main reward of harp + wings, avoid the brimstoning.&nbsp; Like, c'mon guys, do the math here: a little less whorin' and murderin' in return for eternal paradise.&nbsp; That's easy, right?<br /><br />There are large number of reasons to view the impact of organized religion on human individuals and societies with a great deal of concern, as many of those impacts are extremely negative.&nbsp; Some directly so, such as the formal institution of various types of sexism, classism, and patriarchy.&nbsp; There is good reason to believe that religion is a major source of avoidable neuroses and mental anguish, and it is obviously at the root of some of the bloodiest conflicts in human history, continuing into the present day. The indirect effects include the crippling of human intellect and curiosity, resulting in societies less able to address vital ecological, social, or medical issues, and more susceptible to manipulation by the moneyed upper classes.&nbsp; To name just a few...<br /><br /><u><b>In Conclusion</b></u>: Pascal's Wager totally sucks, don't take it, don't spread it around unless you immediately debunk it.<br /><br /><u><b>In All Fairness</b></u>: Pascal did <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pascal%27s_principle" target="_blank">formulate</a> the math &amp; physics allowing hydraulics, and hydraulics are super-sweet.<br /><br />Radiolab, and all you dear readers, stay critical!<br /><br />jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-33198784810406393242013-03-01T17:37:00.002-08:002013-03-01T17:37:47.905-08:00There is a Mt. Lockhart in Alaska, did you know? Same dude.I've yet to pony up the cash for a refractmeter-- they're quite pricy, and I'd really kick myself if I didn't get one that can handle espresso as well as other coffee.&nbsp; (<a href="http://store.vstapps.com/products/vst-lab-coffee-refractometer-bundle">Hint hint hint.</a>)<br /><br />A refractmeter, if you aren't a major coffee geek, is a tool for figuring out extraction rates in coffee. (Actually they do that even if you are a major coffee geek.) It measures the total amount of stuff in a solution that isn't water. Coupled with your brew recipe (how much water, how much coffee), this will give you an accurate picture of your Extraction (how much of the dry coffee wound up in the drink) and strength.&nbsp; These two factors are a great way to wrap your head around the way the coffee actually tastes.<br /><br />For a geek like me this theoretical approach is super-useful, regardless of the tools. I'm not afraid of a little applied math, and while really into developing my sensory skills, I'm not always the best at intuitively using those to change technique.&nbsp; I need to have a bit of framework--although eventually that logic-train gets deep enough to look like some kinda "gut" instinct, like when I speed-dial espresso.<br /><br />Anyway!&nbsp; Every time I taste my coffee, I think about extraction in my head, and use what I'm tasting to adjust my technique.&nbsp; With a little bit of practice, I think any barista can consistently identify under vs. over-extraction by taste, and these are really the two ways coffee winds up tasting bad--assuming the coffee, water, and equipment are good (fresh, clean, etc.)<br /><br />Lacking a refractmeter, I decided to figure out my approximate extraction this morning, using the "weigh everything" approach, and see if I learned anything.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i_WXIw6tSUs/UTFVKuXKqnI/AAAAAAAAAm0/JovO-1jCxe4/s1600/IMGP7494.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-i_WXIw6tSUs/UTFVKuXKqnI/AAAAAAAAAm0/JovO-1jCxe4/s320/IMGP7494.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br /><u>Method:</u> Chemex ("8 cup" model).<br /><br /><u>Ratio:</u> 30g coffee to 450g water.&nbsp; (1:15 ratio, about 67g/liter).&nbsp; This is a small dose for this size brewer, but I've been honing my grind/technique to it, and it makes the perfect amount of coffee for me in the morning.<br /><br /><u>Coffee</u>: Bufcafe Natural Sundried Microlot, from Gikongoro, Rwanda.&nbsp; Roasted by <a href="http://counterculturecoffee.com/">Counter Culture</a>.&nbsp; Sent to me by the gracious Ben at <a href="http://peregrineespresso.com/">Peregrine Espresso</a>.&nbsp; Most exciting coffee I've had in some time!<br /><br /><u>Technique:</u><br />-Rinsed Filter (about .75L hot water).<br />-Added ground coffee (Skerton Mini).<br />- Thorough preinfusion (38g water, 45 seconds.&nbsp; There's a little bit of drip-through but I'm not sweatin' it.)<br />-Circular pour until the water level's where I want it, then finish pouring to the center.<br />-Finish pouring a little past 2:00.<br />-I allow a little draw-down, then give the Chemex a gentle swirl to settle the grounds in the slurry.&nbsp; Adding agitation makes me nervous (difficult to control/replicate), but it eliminates the "high and dry" problem, and slows the draw-down by settling some of the finer particles--matches well with the (unfortunately large) particle distribution I'm getting at my preferred setting.<br />-Coffee finishes dripping right around 4:00.<br /><br />&nbsp;I weighed everything as I went along, and find that I now have brewed coffee weighing 400g.&nbsp; Now I just need to dry and weigh the remaining grounds.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d8LisCPqhKg/UTFVRsI2XHI/AAAAAAAAAm8/fnjBq1HQLLY/s1600/IMGP7495.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-d8LisCPqhKg/UTFVRsI2XHI/AAAAAAAAAm8/fnjBq1HQLLY/s320/IMGP7495.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />I spread the grounds with a knife so they'll dry more quickly.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tB6Q_652I28/UTFVXezI9lI/AAAAAAAAAnE/HVmRn_ZcTxk/s1600/IMGP7497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-tB6Q_652I28/UTFVXezI9lI/AAAAAAAAAnE/HVmRn_ZcTxk/s320/IMGP7497.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />I set the oven to 400F, assuming that won't catch on fire if I get distracted (Bradbury better not be <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fahrenheit_451">pulling my leg</a>), and leave it open a crack to let humidity out.&nbsp; I check on it in about 20 minutes, and finally pull it around 45 minutes later, using my very scientific method of "touch it and feel if it's wet at all".&nbsp; It looks/feels powdery-dry, so I'm reasonably certain this will get me in the ballpark. Old Buffalo house in winter= dessicating atmosphere, which helps. Probably I could have left it for longer to be certain.<br /><br />Then, I weigh this, and subtract the original weight of the filter, giving me a weight of 25g-- so, by these measurements, I've extracted 5g of the original 30g of dry coffee.<br /><br /><u>Areas of inaccuracy:</u> I'm using a $20 scale with only a 1g resolution. The more I think about it, the more I should have let the coffee dry longer, just to be safe.&nbsp; Finally, I don't know how much material is actually washed off the filter in rinsing--I'd have to rinse and dry one for a comparison.&nbsp; Given that the filter only weighs 5g to start with, I'd be surprised if I'm rinsing off enough to notice with my apparatus (as that would have to be 10-20% of the paper's mass).<br /><br /><u>Some quick math and laborious sketching later, and I can plug this onto a brew control chart.</u><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oZ4svUiRVNY/UTFVdCmRe7I/AAAAAAAAAnM/C-yRg0jVHpM/s1600/IMGP7498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oZ4svUiRVNY/UTFVdCmRe7I/AAAAAAAAAnM/C-yRg0jVHpM/s640/IMGP7498.JPG" width="425" /></a></div><br />So!&nbsp; As I measured it, this cup has an extraction percentage of <u><b>16.67%</b></u>, and a solubles concentration of <u><b>1.25%</b></u>.&nbsp; That actually...matches up pretty closely with how I would ball-park it from taste. If anything, I probably extracted a little more than this (not caught by my scale/failure to dry grounds totally/failure to weigh rinsed filter), which would shift that percentage and strength up a little bit.&nbsp; It also matches up pretty well with the mysterious Brew Control Chart Rays.&nbsp; (Have you heard my new band?)<br /><br /><u>How'd the coffee taste?</u><br />Freaking delicious.&nbsp; Beans are getting a little on the old side for something this phenomenal (11 days past roast), but it barely shows. Buckets of perfumey, floral aromatics, really juicy, sweet body, with tons of citrus &amp; berries.&nbsp; "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hjNteHSCCSg">Jelly Man Kelly</a>" starts playing when this coffee is brewed right.&nbsp; I did think it tasted slightly on the under-extracted side--but in my experience, that's a much more forgiving side to be on, sometimes even desirable.<br /><br /><u>What will I change, knowing this data?</u><br />Well, I'm quite happy with this cup, but it might be possible to get even more flavor, sweetness, clarity with a better extraction--this cup isn't as developed as it could be.&nbsp; So, I will look at getting my dosing ratio closer to 60g/Liter, and fining my grind a little more.&nbsp; Taste remains the ultimate arbiter, but this little experiment was useful in confirming my "under-extracted" concern about the coffee.&nbsp; We'll see if I like the next batch better!<br /><br />Science!<br /><br />*btw if you're wondering about the post title, it's in reference to the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Earl_Lockhart">creator of the brew control chart</a>.jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-74169040403284254332013-02-28T18:51:00.000-08:002013-02-28T18:51:03.835-08:00Quick Review: Gun Machine<span style="font-size: x-small;">If I were more internet savvy I would earn 3 cents by linking you to </span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gun-Machine-ebook/dp/B007ZFIMC6/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1362104344&amp;sr=8-1">Gun Machine</a> (2013) <span style="font-size: large;">by Warren Ellis</span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">I liked it.</span></span></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b>Read if you like:</b></u> Cop shows, detective novels, C<span style="font-size: small;">huck Palahn<span style="font-size: small;">iu</span>k, </span>Warren Ellis.</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;"><u><b><span style="font-size: small;">Avoid if:</span></b></u><span style="font-size: small;"> you don't like those thin<span style="font-size: small;">g</span>s, or if you don't like lots <span style="font-size: small;">of <span style="font-size: small;">graphic violence.</span></span></span></span></span></span><br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">"And the problem is always the same: the world has stopped making sense, and the cops have to use Science to force it to make sense. That's the heart of every cop show.&nbsp; Give yourself to a cop show for an hour, and it'll show you a breakdown in the ethical compact, and the process by which that break occurred, and how it is fixed and made to never happen again.&nbsp; That's why everyone loves them."</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">&nbsp;-Bat, p. 243</blockquote><br />"Gun Machine" has much of the same gonzo energy as Ellis's "<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmetropolitan">Transmetropolitan</a>", the simultaneous love and disgust for the city and the people who live there, but here condensed quite nicely by the formula of the detective story.&nbsp; It's a quick read, snappy, the story shaping up within the course of just a few densely-plotted days.&nbsp; While the main character is a bit of a cipher--classic blank-slate PI kinda gig--he's not carboard, and the book ends before you can figure out how much is simply obscured by the trauma it starts with.<br /><br />Supporting characters are illustrated quickly and well--the manic lab sidekicks are particularly well-done, and really not that unbelievable if you've ever met manic lab types.&nbsp; Ellis has a remarkable way of distilling the politics, corruption, and general system-ness of bureaucracy in just a few quick sketches, which he deploys in splashes to paint the administrative machinery above Detective Tallow's head.<br /><br />Great dialogue and narration, really wonderful pacing control, a handful of extended and gruesome scenes of violence, enough pop references to feel hip without being overwhelming, all packed into a lean detective story drenched in Manhattan history and geography back to the original Native American inhabitants.<br /><br />Seriously, this cop discovers a room packed with guns, arranged in some kind of occult pattern, each of them connected to an unsolved homicide.&nbsp; If that doesn't sound like a book you'd read, don't.jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-7820615548109908062013-02-27T18:30:00.000-08:002013-02-27T18:42:28.505-08:00Where are the good viruses?<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Whatever gang of microbes are tearing through my body right now have done a remarkably good job of making me a vector. My nose is running, I'm sneezing in three-round bursts like one of those overly-serious paintball guns, clogged nasal passages mean I mouth breathe unless I consciously suck air through whichever of my nostrils is partially open. My eyes are running, I keep sweating randomly—my body has been optimized to get virus-laden body fluids out to the public.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">So as far as it goes, virus, well done.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">One problem (for them), though: I'm sitting by myself in my apartment, trying to be productive in an OTC-hazed, home office, staring-into-the-fridge-and-pantry, alternately-layering-and-stripping kind of way.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Side note, why don't we have soup-delivery businesses? They'd need to wear hazmat suits, but they would make <i>bank</i><span style="font-style: normal;">. I would pay $15 for a quart of hot salt water with a bay leaf or something in it right now, and never look back.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The point is, I am miserable, but not a vector today. My roommate's wisely staying clear of the leper colony, our cat's (presumably) not compatible, and I don't think what I've got's virulent or persistent enough to, y'know, open my windows and escape.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Now, granted, a lot of people don't or can't stay home from work when disease strikes, even communicable diseases. And, historically, hygiene technologies were less advanced, and presumably at least some sectors of the population had more physical contact with each other. That said: while production of infection-bearing fluids and behavioral hacks like sneezing are pretty good strategies, from an evolutionary perspective they've got a ways to go. When possible, the subjects will isolate themselves and lay low (pajamas, soup); uninfected members of the population will readily identify, be disgusted by, and maintain distance from infected subjects (e.g. me and my slowly-mounting drift of soggy tissues, mouth-breathing).</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Not to say that flu viruses etc. haven't been wildly successful, all things considered. But contagious, body-and-behavior-modifying microbes are missing the boat on what could be accomplished in a social, conscious organism like a human.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Where are the (at least superficially) good viruses? Viruses that make us more popular, that make us more friends. By increasing the number and relative intimacy of our interactions with other humans, these strains could increase their transmission and replication without needing to unduly tax the host organism. Frequency of host-to-potential contact, when correlated to host “attractiveness”, should favor the selection of long-lasting but less harmful infections; a shift on the parasite continua away from predatory and towards symbiotic behavior.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">So, <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Descolada#Descolada">Descolada</a>, if you're reading, a couple ideas:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">-Synthesis of empathogenic compounds—reduce fear of crowds, heighten pleasure of physical contact.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">-Cure or disguise acne and other skin issues. Many are largely bacterial in origin; you can eat them for breakfast and then pass yourself on when someone smooches your host's perfect skin.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">-You know who doesn't go out much? Depressed people. Fix that. You're already mucking about with body chemistry as is, just shift your focus to the brain.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">-Target and eliminate neurochemical base for sexual guilt; free-love society finally a reality. Virus transmission pretty much guaranteed.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Back to my Dayquill.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Obviously I have <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Snow-Crash-Bantam-Spectra-Book/dp/0553380958/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1362018428&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=snow+crash">Snow Crash</a>, <a href="http://www.ted.com/talks/paul_ewald_asks_can_we_domesticate_germs.html">that oneTED Talk</a>, and <a href="http://www.rifters.com/crawl/?p=3935">Peter Watts</a> on the brain.<br /><br /><i>Update:</i><br />Delicious soup from <a href="http://www.mytinytank.com/">My Tiny Tank.<i>&nbsp;</i> </a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4BZ_fl0RPTI/US7EB_1K55I/AAAAAAAAAmk/vSKfTn8qz_M/s1600/IMGP7493.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-4BZ_fl0RPTI/US7EB_1K55I/AAAAAAAAAmk/vSKfTn8qz_M/s320/IMGP7493.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Food photography is hard.<br /><br /></div>jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-1503002599578384712013-01-12T11:24:00.002-08:002013-01-12T19:38:31.922-08:00Spoiler & Nerd Alerts: Thoughts on Jackson's Hobbit<style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style> <br /><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">My issues with the Hobbit film, in a nutshell:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">They cut my favorite character! That's right, with an approximate 540 minutes to adapt less than 300 pages of text, with a budget of half a billion dollars and one of the best special effects armies in existence, Jackson &amp; co. made the the decision to cut Pursey [real name withheld], William the Troll's Talking Purse:</div><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Trolls's are the mischief, and this was no exception. “'Ere, 'oo are you?” it squeaked, as it left the pocket; and William turned round at once and grabbed Bilbo by the neck, before he could duck behind the tree.</blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Jackson's WETA team could have pulled this scene off quite masterfully, and I'm sure they could have pulled in some great voice talent. I'm torn between Michael Caine and Helena Bonham Carter, myself.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I really enjoyed the Hobbit, and will likely see it again, as well as the sequels. It has two flaws that unfortunately intrude into almost every scene: first, a seeming lack of editing, and, second, a blind adherence to the “rules” of action &amp; fantasy films that washes out many of the most enjoyable parts of the work. For the former, not much need to elaborate—although the Onion, as usually, <a href="http://www.theonion.com/articles/the-hobbit-to-feature-53minutelong-scene-of-bilbo,30727/" target="_blank">nails it</a>, and also--take a look at how the pacing in some of those chase scenes (doesn't) work. For the latter—the way that a children's adventure story has turned into an epic battle movie, well, that's what this post is about.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><u>The Epic Infection</u></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">The real problem here is the failure to escape the “epic fantasy film” trap. The unspoken rule for “high fantasy” adaptations, at least lately, is that they must serve mainly as vehicles to get us to large, quasi-medieval combat scenes, with bonus boints for supernatural creatures/forces at work. Portraying huge numbers of combatants, once a major financial and logistic hurdle, has become obligatory.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">This idea has infected our very definition of what “epic” means in a film, rather as </span><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">ludicrous fight scenes in front of, and sometimes destroying, famous landmarks and settings has become </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">de rigeur</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">for modern action and superhero films.</span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br /></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">When spectacle is made the defining core of a film, it's only natural that all the apparatus around it suffers. Dale Beran quite rightly compares superhero films to pornos—ultimately, all plot and dialog only exist to get us to that fight/sex scene, and thus evolve to be eminently skippable. (<a href="http://daleberan.tumblr.com/post/31966231768/occupy-batman" target="_blank">His article on Batman</a> is quite worth reading, a very thoughtful and well-read analysis of many of the same issues I've been noticing; it's also one of the best articulations of the "amusement ride" criticism of action movies, which applies quite thoroughly to the Hobbit.)</div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Tolkien's Hobbit is a children's adventure story, one that is fairly light-hearted without shying away from serious events. Bilbo is the focus: the narrative follows him quite closely, and we understand the story mostly through his reactions: lack of handkerchiefs, infrequent meals, and a nasty head-cold loom larger in the text than larger, “grittier” political or military events. The “biggest” event in the book, the Battle of the Five Armies, comes as something of a surprise to Bilbo (and the reader), it's not glorified, and Bilbo has a very small role in it. The most important moments in the book are smaller, quieter—the sudden compassion for Gollum, the killing of the spider as Bilbo's first real test of bravery, his “betrayal” of Thorin to try to broker peace, the recitation of “The Road Goes Ever On” as he returns home. Despite featuring a 50-something protagonist, provincial, fond of maps, perhaps a bit based on Tolkien himself, it's a </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">bildingsroman</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">, showing Bilbo discovering and creating a better, braver, more adventurous side of himself.</span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">Jackson's </span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">Hobbit is a set-up for more epic battles and monster-fights. It's a continuation of the LOTR film franchise by other means. From the moment Dwalin shows up, heavily tattooed and wearing what appear to be some kind of battle-gauntlets, you know what Jackson's about. There's two main goals here: get us to a truly epic Battle of the Five Armies, and some sweet Necromancer-and-his-jolly-minons fight scenes. Smaug is primarily a </span></span><i><span style="text-decoration: none;">character</span></i><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">, doesn't have any screen-time until the last bit of the book, and has only one possible fight scene—so he can only be milked for so much, in film-franchise logic. Without inventing some really silly dragon-minions of some kind, it's hard to imagine how the Smaug scenes can be drawn out into the kind of action scenes we apparently are imagined to need.</span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br /></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">Nope, it's goblins and the Necromancer that are gonna <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNZove4OTtI" target="_blank">move these lunchboxes</a>, folks. I can just picture this brain-storming session.</div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br /></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="text-decoration: none;">Peter F. Jackson:</span></b><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Okay folks, very excited to get filming here. So, who are our main villains?</span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="text-decoration: none;">Ghost of J.R.R. Tolkien:</span></b><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Well, Smaug, mainly...</span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in;"><b><span style="text-decoration: none;">Team of Film Industy Types:</span></b><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">That won't do, he barely appears until the last 20 pages!</span></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>PFJ: </b>What else can we work with?</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>GT:</b> Well, there's Bolg, I suppose.</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>TFIT:</b> Who?</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>GT:</b> The leader of the goblin forces at the Battle of the Five Armies.</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>TFIT:</b> That's even later than Smaug! What about this Necromancer guy?</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>GT:</b> The Necromancer isn't really--</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>PFJ:</b> Okay, we run with the Necromancer, do the whole White Council thing, Ian hitting things with a glowing stick, Hugo throwing his hair around, maybe even give Cate a bow or something. Let's make sure it's real clear Chris is going to turn later—our audience isn't all Tolkien scholars, you know!</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>TFIT:</b> Love it! Any way we can get some younger eye-candy on the White Council? What about Liv? Has Orlando's price tag dropped again?</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>GT:</b> Um--</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>PFJ:</b> Still not enough villainy to get us through the first film though, what else do we have?</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>GT:</b> Ah--</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>PFJ:</b> More goblins?</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>TFIT:</b> Big beefy Voldemort-looking goblin antagonist?</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>PFJ:</b> On a white wolf?</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>TFIT &amp; PFJ:</b> AND A ROBOT ARM!</div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><b>GT: </b><span style="font-weight: normal;">Good grief.</span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br /></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">Yes, they added a sub-plot/revenge story featuring a suspicously Rowlingy, and frankly hilarious goblin. But no screen-time for Pursey, it seems. Kind of a shame they couldn't just get Fiennes to play Azog, and have done. Will just have to hang in there for for Benedict Cumberbatch's Necromancer/Smaug duties.</div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br /></div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;">Years back in Hobbit-film talks, I was incredibly excited when Del Toro was tapped for direction, before production delays forced him off. Besides his skill at deploying special effects in ways that add to the story rather than subtract, Pan's Labyrinth (and even to some extent the Hellboy movies) showcases a rare ability not to get stuck in ironbound genre tropes &amp; attitudes.I was really looking forward to his direction, as his idea of making the Hobbit connected to Jackson's Lord of the Rings, but with a different tone, sounded right-on. (<a href="http://www.theonering.net/torwp/2008/04/25/28747-guillermo-del-toro-chats-with-torn-about-the-hobbit-films/" target="_blank">This interview</a> in particular got my hopes up.)</div><div style="font-style: normal; margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; text-decoration: none;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="font-style: normal;"><span style="text-decoration: none;">I'm sure his influence was not inconsequential on the final film. Case in point: elk-riding Elf. Something about that has Del Toro on it. But, sadly, the idea of the Hobbit as a lighter film has been completely lost. The conspicuously purse-less "Roast Mutton" sequence, for example, turns from a semi-comic scene to a pitched battle, complete with fight music and dwarves lashing about with all manner of weaponry. They still wind up in sacks...and then Gandalf, rather than establishing himself as a trickster figure, splits a boulder in half with his sweet magic stick. Yep.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><u>This is a Silly Place</u></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">With the honestly crazy length of this project—9ish hours—it's all the more depressing that so much is simplified and dumbed down. Some simplification is inevitable in film adaptation, but, combined with the desire to make this a Serious Fantasy Action movie, the decision was apparently to militarize and villainize wherever possible, rather than present the audience with any ambiguity or complexity. Take the Dwarven/Elven tension, for instance. Here's what we get from the text:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Dwarves don't get on well with them. Even decent enough dwarves like Thorin and his friends think them foolish (which is a very foolish thing to think),or get annoyed with them. For some elves tease them and laugh at them, and most of all their beards.</div></blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Later, when Thorin's capture in Mirkwood is related, we get a little more:</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">So to the cave they dragged Thorin—not too gently, for they did not love dwarves, and thought he was an enemy. In ancient days they had had wars with some of the dwarves, whom they accused of stealing their treasures. It is only fair to say that the dwarves gave a different account...All this was known to every dwarf, though Thorin's family had had nothing to do with the old quarrel I have spoken of...</div></blockquote><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">These two passages alone set the tone for the antagonism between elves and dwarves in The Hobbit—based on misunderstanding, over-seriousness, and greed, the last of which in particular is the main vice of the work. The grievance between the Mirkwood elves &amp; dwarves is something I've always been a bit interested in—it's either a thematic repetition of Thingol's slaying way back in the Second Age, or a direct reference to it and the destruction of Menegroth which followed. Tolkien's fond of the old thematic repetition, and at any rate didn't have the material outside of the Hobbit pinned down in a real definite version at that point, so I don't lose any sleep over it.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">But, rather than simply build in a bit of annoyance at singing, prank-pulling Rivendell elves, or a bit more realistic tension with the Mirkwood gang, and rather than, you know, using some of the 180 minutes to set some of this up, we instead have a Ludicrous Army of Elk-Elves, standing, for some reason, near the Lonely Mountain, right when the dragon shows up, and then being all “No elven Red Cross for you because you were showing off your JEWELS too hard before kbye”. And so, of course! Thorin &amp; co. hate all elves, and immediately draw weapons on entering Rivendell.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">The Rivendell elves...all 4 of them. The rest are presumably off, y'know, not being in their semi-abandoned vaguely-Celticy pagoda complex, or maybe taking some juiceboxes to all those choir-boys just off-screen.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Vaguely-Celticy pagoda complex, I say, and elves that take themselves way too seriously. Tolkien's Rivendell is filled with songs—silly nonsense ones as well as historical lays, not atmospheric choir music. And the house itself is a <i>comfortable</i><span style="font-style: normal;"> house, the last homely house, where the dwarves &amp; hobbit stay for two weeks. It's one of those odd little shifts in tone that disappointed me, from something rich to something simple—this adaptation has the elves playing only one note, and that note is Solemn and Ethereal and Vaguely British Or Something.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I'm intrigued as to how the films are going to carry off the anti-greed moral—the first one does look like they're setting it up a bit. I think it will take some careful work to make that part of Bilbo's parting with the Arkenstone, and Thorin's last speech, really come across. Bilbo's willingness to surrender the Arkenstone, after experiencing a real lust for it, is one of those quiet moments that really makes the book for me, and of course is another thematic repeition, echoed later in his willing passing of the Ring, the only person to do so.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">Thorin's farewell, if it doesn't get lost in cinematic DRAMA, is one of the neater summations of some of Tolkien's philosophy—unlike the war against the Shadow in the Lord of the Rings, the violence in the Hobbit is all rooted in greed &amp; lust for power of basically normal folks, to which Tolkien offers the antidote of “food and cheer and song”. That sentiment, among others of Tolkien's, has been a powerful shaping influence on me, and I'm hoping Jackson pulls off the message.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I could keep talking about this film at length—it's a great excuse to launch off into Tolkien nit-picking/glorifying, and an intriguing distillation of all the things that bug me about post-Tolkien fantasy in many incarnations—why are dwarves Highland Scots? Who started with the pointy ears, and is there a special circle of hell for that? But. I will save some of these thoughts for later—maybe for the next film.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">I did really enjoy Jackson's film, and if you liked the book, or fantasy movies in general, I wouldn't discourage you from seeing it. It's got a lot of good points—Martin Freeman is the perfect choice for Bilbo, Radagast was fun, and they did far more justice to the “Riddles in the Dark” scene than I expected. Despite a bucketful of textual deviations both tonal and mundane (Orcrist &amp; Glamdring not being mates and lacking patented orc-detection technology, for example), it's still gratifying to see a vision of Tolkien's world fleshed out like this, and they even tossed a few tongue-in-cheek goodies our way, as when Gandalf “can't remember” the names of the blue wizards. And if you liked the book, but felt it REALLY NEEDED a wizard riding a rabbit-sleigh, or a super-muscled Voldemort goblin dude with a robot arm on an albino wolf, this is your film.</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><br /></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">No Pursey, though.</div>jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-59659092348555732352013-01-02T18:40:00.001-08:002013-01-02T18:41:10.961-08:00I can't be a vegetarian in moderation.<style type="text/css"> <!-- @page { margin: 0.79in } P { margin-bottom: 0.08in } </style>The Thanksgiving-through-Christmas season finds me reminding my friends and family that I'm vegetarian more often than usual. This year, for some reason, I've also been fending off an odd number of “everything in moderation” arguments to eat a little dead animal once in a while. The moderation comments would be totally fine if I were only avoiding meat for my health, or for larger concerns about the environment, but it's a pretty outrageous idea to be “moderate” in one's ethics.<br /><br /><br />So, I wanted to take a stab at writing out why I'm a vegetarian, with some comments on the ethical side of it. Nothing here is a particularly new or unique insight, but if you're not a vegetarian (or even if you are) you may not have seen the reasons laid out quite like this.<br /><br /><br />I'm not a vegetarian for health reasons, although that's a nice side-effect, nor to save the planet, although I think we should all spend some more effort doing so. I don't think meat, the substance, is gross—venison tenderloin and really good sushi loom particularly large in my memory. And, while I like animals, I'm not terribly sentimental about them in general.<br /><br /><br />I stopped eating meat after really thinking about the ethics of it. If you want to understand why I and others like me are so firm about the issue, you have to understand that it's not a practical or optional choice; it's a purely ethical one, like not murdering, or keeping your promises.<br /><br /><br />The logic goes like this.<br />-I shouldn't harm others without good reason, and animals are a kind of other.<br />-Eating animals harms them.<br />-I don't need to eat them to live, or even to live a healthy life, so I don't have a good reason to harm them for food purposes.<br />-Therefore, don't eat them.<br /><br /><br />Okay, let's expand that a little.<br />-<i>I shouldn't harm others without good reason. </i><span style="font-style: normal;">This is one of the cornerstones of all ethical behavior; if you don't agree with this, there's really no reason to try to discuss ethics at all. There is, however, a lot of room for discussion &amp; definition here: what constitutes “harm”, what counts as “others”, and what we might agree are “good reasons”. For the purpose of this discussion, I'll limit “harm” to “death and/or significant suffering”. “Good reasons” have to be weighed against the harm done to others, so they have to be pretty significant to justify killing/suffering.</span><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: normal;">And, very importantly, “others” means any entity worth treating as an end in itself.&nbsp; That means we think it has rights of its own. Animals fall in this category, at least most of the kinds of animals we eat. Think of cows, pigs, or chickens—we'll ignore whether or not clams are ends in themselves for right now.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: normal;">Most people believe that animals are ends in themselves, although you may have to poke them a little to get them to admit it.</span><br /><div style="font-style: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal;">Here's the test: is it wrong to kill or torture an animal just for the heck of it? Not to eat it, or use it, or to put it out of its misery, or anything like that. And we'll assume that killing it doesn't have any bad effects for people—it wasn't someone else's property, no one was depending on it for anything, nobody will see you kill it and be emotionally disturbed by it. So, can you kill it? Insert whatever animal you want here—kittens or puppies are my choice, but they may have an unfair emotional advantage. </div><br /><br />So, is it okay to kill it, just because you feel like it? I think no, and I think most people would agree. The reason is because animals deserve consideration in and of themselves, as some kind of individual. There's nothing inherently wrong with smashing an inanimate object, or in killing a plant. But with animals, we quite intuitively object to killing or hurting them without good reason.<br /><br /><br />Animals are “others”. There is a being there that deserves some kind of respect, that shouldn't be killed or tortured for no reason. We could lay out a big complex theory of animal rights here, presumably granting more to orangutans and less for shrimp, but all we need is that basic level. We need a good word for “living beings that have person-ness, with rights and moral consideration, but aren't necessarily human”, but I'm not going to try to make one on the spot.<br /><i><br /></i><br /><i></i><i>-Eating animals harms them</i>.<br />Obviously, most of our food animals live pretty wretched, painful lives, mostly due to the way we raise them in huge numbers. Actually, unfortunately, it's not obvious—we'd probably see a lot more vegetarianism if people were routinely shown the condition of our food animals.<br /><br /><br />Even when their lives are pretty okay, though, we kill them, which is a pretty straightforward harm. It's kind of debatable which side of this is worse—depending on how much you value the individual life of an animal, you might think killing it painlessly is ethically neutral, and it's just the pain &amp; fear it experiences while alive that are evil. That's an interesting argument, but I think we could equally well say that <i>there is something it's like to be a cow</i><span style="font-style: normal;">, that they have some kind of life—maybe without the same kind of language, abstract thought, dreams or sense of self that most functional human adults have, but some kind of life, a lived experience, and, other things being equal, it's wrong to take that away by killing it.</span><br /><br /><i>-I don't need to eat them to live, or even to live a healthy life.</i><br />I won't get into this too much, let me just say: science agrees. Yes, humans evolved with some meat in our diet. But no, we don't have to eat it to live, or to be healthy. Before you say anything about protein, look up “vegan bodybuilders” or “vegan athletes”. If you really have to eat meat for some kind of health reason—iron, for example—well, I'm always a little skeptical, but maybe you do! In that case, that's a good reason. Most people probably don't fall into this category.<br /><br />So, under most circumstances, it's not true that we “need” to eat animals to live healthy lives. We eat them for some combination of cultural convenience and pleasure. I don't think cultural convenience and pleasure constitute “good reasons” to cause suffering and death.<br /><br /><br /><i>-Therefore, don't eat them.</i><br />Make sense now?<br /><br /><br />The shorter, not-as-friendly, but totally legit version of this argument is:<br /><br /><br />“Don't kill for pleasure.”<br /><br />That's what the vast majority of meat consumption is. Yes, it's part of our culture, but most people have no problem ducking out on some parts of their culture they're not crazy about.<br /><br /><br />The line of reasoning above looks solid to me. If you take issue with it, it seems like it's got to be at two points: the idea that animals are others, or the idea that we don't need to eat meat to be healthy.<br /><br /><br />For the latter point, I refer you to: science, the more-predominantly-vegetarian cultures of the world, and the physical example of vegetarian/vegan athletes. Going veg isn't a magic health bullet, and I'm not denying that reasonable amounts of good meat in the diet can be great from a health perspective. But that's beside the moral point: you can live very well without eating meat, so it's an option, not a need. Switching to a vegetarian diet is very likely to be healthier for you, given the insane amount and low quality of meat in the American diet, but, again, that's beside the point. All we need to proceed is the minimal argument that you don't need meat to be healthy, for which there is abundant evidence. So, whatever you're weighing against animal suffering and death, it can't be nutritional need.<br /><br /><br />(By the way, you may have heard some kind of “we evolved to eat meat/it's natural” argument; those don't work. We call that the “fallacious appeal to nature”, among other things. Humans evolved with plenty of rape and cannibalism going around, and, if you want to talk unnatural, let's talk about antibiotics and iPhones. Just because we did it in the past, or see it in nature, doesn't mean we should do it; nor are things unethical because they're “un-natural”, if that word even makes sense. Nature and our history are completely different categories from what's ethically right.)<br /><br /><br />So, if you're critiquing the argument, you're probably going to have to fixate on the question of whether animals deserve moral consideration. This is a big, vexatious question, with lots of complexities, but I think the basic answer is very clear, and that answer is that they do. If you disagree, then you are bound to agree that it is fine to buy up pets or livestock, only to torture or kill them for your own pleasure.<br /><br /><br />Most people probably find that repulsive. But, again, since we don't have a nutritional need to eat animals, when we eat them we are creating a lot of suffering, and then killing them for our pleasure. The fact that we also use their remains is beside the moral point. If we kill a human but then do something worthwhile with the remains (donate the money in their pockets to charity, cook them up in nutritious recipes, make jewelry out of their teeth), does that in any way lessen or justify the original murder? It's beside the point.<br /><br /><br /><span style="font-style: normal;">We humans are born ignorant, tend to be weak-willed, and are really good at double-thinking our way out of doing what we know is the right or smart thing. That said, I really do think people try to do the good thing, we do what's best by our reasoning. When I got my head wrapped around ethical vegetarianism, that was the issue settled for me, and, while there are lots of potential reasons to go veg, I find the ethical logic the most persuasive, and it's what I prefer to use to explain my stance, in the hope that others will find it compelling.</span><br /><br /><br />You might stop eating meat just because you find it very unappealing. You might stop because you want to improve your health: eliminating or really limiting meat intake is almost certainly a move in the healthy direction, at least in our society. Assuming an otherwise-healthy diet, it's also probably one of the best diet changes to assist with weight loss, which is frequently what people mean when they say “better health” anyway. And you might stop eating meat for environmental or social reasons: our current meat industry is pretty devastating to the environment on a few different levels.<br /><br /><br />Any reason to stop eating meat is cool with me, but none of these reasons are what I would call compelling. They're circumstantial, or they're a “practical” good. Other things being equal, if your preferences changed, or if you could figure out a healthy meat-inclusive diet, you'd go back to it. I find environmental concerns very important, but not really compelling: the issues are too big and too complex to make our choices black and white and, again, other things being equal, we can imagine things being different. If cows weren't destroying the atmosphere as fast or faster than cars are, then we could eat them again. Cows, not cars.<br /><br /><br />Likewise, I don't like the use of appeals to emotion (just ask my exes), although the emotional “reasons” for becoming vegetarian share a common thread with the form I find compelling: a concern for others. I don't like to use the “look at these poor cows/pigs/chickens, doesn't that make you sad” argument, because it's not an argument. People have no duty to <i>feel</i><span style="font-style: normal;">anything, and maybe you just don't feel strongly about chickens. That's not a moral failing. However, people do have a duty to follow ethical codes, regardless of how they feel about them.</span><br /><div style="font-style: normal;"><br /></div><span style="font-style: normal;">That last sentence sneaks in all kinds of assumptions about what ethics/morals are and how they work, but I'm going to run with it. Immanuel Kant, an 18</span><sup><span style="font-style: normal;">th</span></sup><span style="font-style: normal;">century philosopher, puts it kind of like this: one way to tell if something is ethically correct is to decide if you would do it, or at least think you </span><i>should</i><span style="font-style: normal;">do it, </span><i>even if you really didn't want to, and ignoring any effects from doing it.</i><br /><br /><span style="font-style: normal;"></span><br /><span style="font-style: normal;">(Apologies to Kant and my undergrad philosophy professors for errors here.)</span><br /><br /><span style="font-style: normal;">That's one way to define duty, to define morality. If you don't believe in something like this—things being right or wrong regardless of how you feel about them, regardless of whether you get punished/rewarded for doing them—then I don't think you can really talk about “morality”, just utility and punishment/reward schemes. That's fine in a lot of contexts, but I'm going to go ahead and assume you're a little more advanced, morally, than that.</span><br /><br />All of which is to say: if vegetarianism is really ethical, and it seems to be, then we can't really do much compromising or moderation on that account. We wouldn't want people to be compromise on the “don't murder” rule, and you could probably get into some trouble by suggesting we should practice moderation where fidelity and promise-keeping are concerned.<br /><br /><div style="font-style: normal;">It took me a long time to see the logic here, and my diet change was a gradual one, facilitated by various people in my life. So, while I don't believe in compromise or moderation on the issue, and I do think there's a clear-cut ethical question and answer here, I have a lot of patience for meat-eaters. There is a massive cultural obstacle to even thinking about this issue clearly, and massive cultural obstacles are no joke. On top of that, one's food is a very intimate thing. It's your body, really. It's wrapped up in your financial reality, in your culture, in the way you run your life day to day—changes to diet aren't easy or insignificant, so I don't get mad when my veg-proselytizing doesn't have instant effect.</div><div style="font-style: normal;"><br /></div><div style="font-style: normal;">And yet: this is about what's right. And you can do it. And it's pretty delicious, actually.</div>jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-89027619422753386862012-05-23T15:20:00.000-07:002013-03-06T07:13:15.422-08:00In my head it's pronounced "Grrr 2.3"And it speaks in a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rosearik_Rikki_Simons">curious high-pitched voice</a>.<br /><br />Had to repair a programmable Fetco grinder today.<br /><br />I like that electric motors look like tiny particle accelerators.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XedlhwKSPjo/T71iFOFg8KI/AAAAAAAAAlg/jY2t3alZlG8/s1600/IMGP6546.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XedlhwKSPjo/T71iFOFg8KI/AAAAAAAAAlg/jY2t3alZlG8/s320/IMGP6546.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Dear grinder manufacturers everywhere:<br />-Stop with the nooks and crannies where tiny coffee particles can accumulate and turn to a dense clay-like substance.<br />-Figure out how to incorporate more scales, instead of timers?<br />-Build me a wet grinder that works.&nbsp; I'll buy it.<br /><br />jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-83177701718991851912012-05-22T07:14:00.000-07:002013-03-06T07:13:15.433-08:00ChicagoAfter my delightful Wisconsin adventures, I headed into Chicago for a few days.&nbsp; I hadn't been in almost a decade, and I'm a lot more city-savvy these days.&nbsp; Which is to say: not afraid of public transit, and with a long list of coffee-shops to visit.<br /><br />Stop 1: <a href="http://www.metropoliscoffee.com/">Metropolis</a>, 1039 W. Granville<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ycfS8283Lck/T7uRnbEsyOI/AAAAAAAAAg8/4rC5XLlUo6I/s1600/IMGP6457.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ycfS8283Lck/T7uRnbEsyOI/AAAAAAAAAg8/4rC5XLlUo6I/s320/IMGP6457.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Nice cafe, friendly baristas, delicious coffee.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--SUHv_haHaY/T7uRuW0O8eI/AAAAAAAAAhE/FcqbaeLjbC0/s1600/IMGP6454.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--SUHv_haHaY/T7uRuW0O8eI/AAAAAAAAAhE/FcqbaeLjbC0/s320/IMGP6454.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Cleverin' at the slow bar.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rGuOYDDmNoU/T7uR2SilVCI/AAAAAAAAAhM/YpgE-Sj7NpE/s1600/IMGP6456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rGuOYDDmNoU/T7uR2SilVCI/AAAAAAAAAhM/YpgE-Sj7NpE/s320/IMGP6456.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Tony's Rwanda.<br /><br />Wait a sec, isn't "Metropolis" NYC, and "Gotham" is Chicago?&nbsp; I don't know, I don't know comics I guess. <br /><br />Next: food at the <a href="http://www.veggiediner.com/wp/">Chicago Diner</a>, 3411 N. Halstead.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OaZ5V8l-D6o/T7uSLyWkTnI/AAAAAAAAAhU/amwYLGEgg90/s1600/IMGP6463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OaZ5V8l-D6o/T7uSLyWkTnI/AAAAAAAAAhU/amwYLGEgg90/s320/IMGP6463.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>I wound up coming here like three times.&nbsp; Ridiculously awesome veg of the comfort variety.<br /><br />More coffee needed: <a href="http://kickstandcoffee.com/">Kickstand Espresso</a>, 824 W. Belmont.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1mtRFCcDpwk/T7uSmWDuOwI/AAAAAAAAAhc/m2N3UVhLVKg/s1600/IMGP6468.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1mtRFCcDpwk/T7uSmWDuOwI/AAAAAAAAAhc/m2N3UVhLVKg/s320/IMGP6468.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Nice marquee.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bGSetFv2HtY/T7uSuEW_57I/AAAAAAAAAhk/_n3uW1dIIkI/s1600/IMGP6464.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bGSetFv2HtY/T7uSuEW_57I/AAAAAAAAAhk/_n3uW1dIIkI/s320/IMGP6464.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Pulling spro from Metropolis, pretty tasty.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hf8zWRhHvsE/T7uS2HJwAGI/AAAAAAAAAhs/k9tRUJEqIaY/s1600/IMGP6465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hf8zWRhHvsE/T7uS2HJwAGI/AAAAAAAAAhs/k9tRUJEqIaY/s320/IMGP6465.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I really love the pocket-sized cafe.<br /><br />Part of the reason I wanted to swing through Chicago was to see Amy Lawlor, who is the first serious barista I ever met, and also just generally awesome.&nbsp; Amy works for a little company called <a href="http://www.intelligentsiacoffee.com/">Intelligentsia</a> now, and she was kind enough to play "take your kid to work day" with me, so I got to check out a few of their locations.<br /><br />3123 North Broadway:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VBOQ_08lSvg/T7uT2WjXv1I/AAAAAAAAAh0/OR6IOC42bKw/s1600/IMGP6469.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VBOQ_08lSvg/T7uT2WjXv1I/AAAAAAAAAh0/OR6IOC42bKw/s320/IMGP6469.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kdgz5YadGCc/T7uT8xmyUnI/AAAAAAAAAh8/GCh7El2DIcw/s1600/IMGP6471.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kdgz5YadGCc/T7uT8xmyUnI/AAAAAAAAAh8/GCh7El2DIcw/s320/IMGP6471.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I actually forgot to see what the Black Cat was tasting like--just tried the SO offerings, which were pretty tasty.<br /><br />New location in the Merchant Mark:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rF-tWEsGKcA/T7uUfsVLJHI/AAAAAAAAAiE/H-6Wp81F7bU/s1600/IMGP6474.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rF-tWEsGKcA/T7uUfsVLJHI/AAAAAAAAAiE/H-6Wp81F7bU/s320/IMGP6474.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Yep, that's a paddle-group PID Linea.<br /><br />Needed some food, forgot to take a picture before our $4 falafels at <a href="http://www.chickpeaonthego.com/">Chickpea</a> were pretty much devoured:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rkqc2wFpUNg/T7uU2d1xPhI/AAAAAAAAAiM/F1vCT4KlqGU/s1600/IMGP6477.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rkqc2wFpUNg/T7uU2d1xPhI/AAAAAAAAAiM/F1vCT4KlqGU/s320/IMGP6477.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Best I've had in ages.<br /><br />To the Roasting Works!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fr0doAuo0GA/T7uV3p74BMI/AAAAAAAAAik/nT4DD6Ms6YE/s1600/IMGP6501.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fr0doAuo0GA/T7uV3p74BMI/AAAAAAAAAik/nT4DD6Ms6YE/s320/IMGP6501.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>This is where the magic happens.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sHj3Ndep7V8/T7uWMUTTpOI/AAAAAAAAAis/wUxv_xTxBvQ/s1600/IMGP6489.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sHj3Ndep7V8/T7uWMUTTpOI/AAAAAAAAAis/wUxv_xTxBvQ/s320/IMGP6489.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The blend-master working on latte art in the training lab.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YbHe5rfgzXM/T7uWVGu8nHI/AAAAAAAAAi0/VoIIu_LePtg/s1600/IMGP6491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YbHe5rfgzXM/T7uWVGu8nHI/AAAAAAAAAi0/VoIIu_LePtg/s320/IMGP6491.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Doug starts to explain <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tea_processing">tea processing</a> to me.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8NQvG7_FGDo/T7uXBM7LdcI/AAAAAAAAAi8/L9Iayc3s4e4/s1600/IMGP6492.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8NQvG7_FGDo/T7uXBM7LdcI/AAAAAAAAAi8/L9Iayc3s4e4/s320/IMGP6492.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Hair nets are compulsory, but complimentary!<br /><br />Made plans to meet up with Amy &amp; some other coffee folks later; meanwhile I have some other shops to hit up...<br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_632307299"><br /></a><br /><a href="http://caffestreets.com/">Caffe Streets</a>: 1750 West Division<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RCWu8mK2mz4/T7uXlWc3TGI/AAAAAAAAAjE/Q7vYtO7FOUo/s1600/IMGP6507.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RCWu8mK2mz4/T7uXlWc3TGI/AAAAAAAAAjE/Q7vYtO7FOUo/s320/IMGP6507.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Slow-drip Burundi on ice.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BgzKm7hx41g/T7uXsl6_P1I/AAAAAAAAAjM/VDg4q5d9ZRY/s1600/IMGP6510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-BgzKm7hx41g/T7uXsl6_P1I/AAAAAAAAAjM/VDg4q5d9ZRY/s320/IMGP6510.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Award for most stylish cafe!&nbsp; Even the <i>ceiling</i> is cool.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nor5SU6KeW4/T7uX1UFo1xI/AAAAAAAAAjU/Gxr8kezHliE/s1600/IMGP6513.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nor5SU6KeW4/T7uX1UFo1xI/AAAAAAAAAjU/Gxr8kezHliE/s320/IMGP6513.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Multi-roaster, good job!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZV9LW1AFQo4/T7uX9L-rz4I/AAAAAAAAAjc/hCYXRDXXbig/s1600/IMGP6515.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZV9LW1AFQo4/T7uX9L-rz4I/AAAAAAAAAjc/hCYXRDXXbig/s320/IMGP6515.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And friendly!&nbsp; They send me on to my next location:<br /><br /><a href="http://thewormhole.us/">Wormhole</a>, 1462 N. Milwaukee.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-83oRo0PdKuU/T7uYVNKrWYI/AAAAAAAAAjk/LWsixTXDD5s/s1600/IMGP6516.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-83oRo0PdKuU/T7uYVNKrWYI/AAAAAAAAAjk/LWsixTXDD5s/s320/IMGP6516.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Tasty shot, and I always appreciate a scutcheon or some such with it.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qS-iAb05fOo/T7uYmbmnV8I/AAAAAAAAAjs/r4KwoIZ6ob8/s1600/IMGP6517.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qS-iAb05fOo/T7uYmbmnV8I/AAAAAAAAAjs/r4KwoIZ6ob8/s320/IMGP6517.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Cafe itself: friendly, multi-roaster, and densely, inexplicably pop-80's.&nbsp; Don't know if you can make it out but that is a full-sized Delorean back there.<br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_632307319"><br /></a><br /><a href="http://www.ipsento.com/">Ipsento</a>: 2035 N. Western Ave<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--ssNiks98Rs/T7uZPcYEiCI/AAAAAAAAAj0/hA56tUCXKe4/s1600/IMGP6522.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/--ssNiks98Rs/T7uZPcYEiCI/AAAAAAAAAj0/hA56tUCXKe4/s320/IMGP6522.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>What a delightful little shop!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CwXSwGSVxE8/T7uZWefrjvI/AAAAAAAAAj8/h0nFzwwsjgk/s1600/IMGP6519.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CwXSwGSVxE8/T7uZWefrjvI/AAAAAAAAAj8/h0nFzwwsjgk/s320/IMGP6519.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Roasting on this guy.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HCJUT8LAd2I/T7uZeiElq5I/AAAAAAAAAkE/waAJSAmg6FY/s1600/IMGP6520.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HCJUT8LAd2I/T7uZeiElq5I/AAAAAAAAAkE/waAJSAmg6FY/s320/IMGP6520.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And pulling shots on this custom machine.&nbsp; I got to talk to the re-builder, Chad, who walked me through some of his modifications.&nbsp; This started as a Linea AV, but has been completely overhauled, temp &amp; pressure controls changed, steamwands customized, wood-paneled, pretty snazzy.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CEpj-CDowic/T7uZ2ROu69I/AAAAAAAAAkM/qw92GCLLWo4/s1600/IMGP6518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-CEpj-CDowic/T7uZ2ROu69I/AAAAAAAAAkM/qw92GCLLWo4/s320/IMGP6518.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Caffeine levels starting to get to me, so I get a sandwich as well, the "C.S. Lewis".&nbsp; Withholding complicated literary/theological critique.<br /><br />Non-incidentally, Ipsento gets the award for best cold coffee of my entire trip--some kind of hot-over-ice technique using their natural Panama.&nbsp; Muy tasty.<br /><br />Did some more wandering around, and eventually met up with Amy at the <a href="http://happyvillagebar.com/">Happy Village</a>.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-25TkKOkTHm0/T7uaZfqsXyI/AAAAAAAAAkU/Aujq2eVsoM4/s1600/IMGP6531.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-25TkKOkTHm0/T7uaZfqsXyI/AAAAAAAAAkU/Aujq2eVsoM4/s320/IMGP6531.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />And as mega-bonus, got to see Marcus!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vMRpOR-nWao/T7ubAa3AuyI/AAAAAAAAAkk/Sv8eAsqhsPk/s1600/IMGP6525.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vMRpOR-nWao/T7ubAa3AuyI/AAAAAAAAAkk/Sv8eAsqhsPk/s320/IMGP6525.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>One of the most amazing people I've met, Marcus has an almost supernatural gift for organizing, dealing with crazy-complicated problems without breaking a sweat, and generally herding cats while making even socially-retarded backwoods types like myself feel welcome.&nbsp; When he announced that he's leaving the SCAA to pursue other coffee interests, people came out to <a href="http://sprudge.com/a-tribute-to-usbc-superstar-marcus-boni.html">literally sing his praises</a>.<br /><br />Back to my hostel!&nbsp; Then up again early to hit some more coffee stuff before jetting back to Buffalo.<br /><br />Millenium Park Intelli:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bTkz6E89dDE/T7uVIwKeWmI/AAAAAAAAAiU/ipDlY1w88MA/s1600/IMGP6536.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bTkz6E89dDE/T7uVIwKeWmI/AAAAAAAAAiU/ipDlY1w88MA/s320/IMGP6536.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NdqFpw5ZfeA/T7uVPzrSrII/AAAAAAAAAic/6-aLku-ih4w/s1600/IMGP6534.jpg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NdqFpw5ZfeA/T7uVPzrSrII/AAAAAAAAAic/6-aLku-ih4w/s320/IMGP6534.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Lovely chemex service.&nbsp; Also, I still am not over the Black Cat Ceramics.&nbsp; Just really nice aesthetics on those.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HZBBPtRBhP4/T7ucYRScsbI/AAAAAAAAAks/bZRDoK5znLY/s1600/IMGP6537.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HZBBPtRBhP4/T7ucYRScsbI/AAAAAAAAAks/bZRDoK5znLY/s320/IMGP6537.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Obligatory cloud gate photo.&nbsp; Then, hopping the Blue Line toward the airport.<br /><br />But first!&nbsp; More coffee, this time at <a href="http://www.buzzkillerespresso.com/">Buzz</a>, 1644 North Damen.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JSSsBWwvqKo/T7ucvoTD0QI/AAAAAAAAAk0/zA0wDdN7GQk/s1600/IMGP6542.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JSSsBWwvqKo/T7ucvoTD0QI/AAAAAAAAAk0/zA0wDdN7GQk/s320/IMGP6542.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bzx1kcNJOF8/T7uc1-V5MWI/AAAAAAAAAk8/4hMYxn3W2SM/s1600/IMGP6540.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bzx1kcNJOF8/T7uc1-V5MWI/AAAAAAAAAk8/4hMYxn3W2SM/s320/IMGP6540.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Nice shop, dig the aesthetics.&nbsp; Spot's actually done some business with Buzz: they are distributors for those lovely Bonavita kettles &amp; coffee-makers you may have seen flooding the scene of late.<br /><br />Need some food before O'hare.&nbsp; My cousin suggests Big Star tacos, which looks awesome, but packed to the gills.&nbsp; Instead, I head up to <a href="http://handlebarchicago.com/">Handlebar</a>, 2311 W. North Ave.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bu5WJAT42xw/T7udd5qWLnI/AAAAAAAAAlE/O05sYYgRf6E/s1600/IMGP6544.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-bu5WJAT42xw/T7udd5qWLnI/AAAAAAAAAlE/O05sYYgRf6E/s320/IMGP6544.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The "Green Meanie" was pretty much exactly what I needed.&nbsp; Morbid curiosity gets the better of me, and I get a beermosa as well:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0HAM1W0FqJY/T7udsW-_-EI/AAAAAAAAAlM/CHmKMdwrmgg/s1600/IMGP6543.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0HAM1W0FqJY/T7udsW-_-EI/AAAAAAAAAlM/CHmKMdwrmgg/s320/IMGP6543.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Okay, that was actually pretty good.<br /><br />All told, I had a really fantastic trip.&nbsp; The highlights were definitely seeing Sarah &amp; Tony in Milwaukee, and Amy in Chicago.&nbsp; That said, the coffee scene was inspiring.&nbsp; It's really nice to see so many different places hitting the right mix of truly good coffee and friendly service.&nbsp; Every barista I talked to in Chicago was not only helpful in the context of their own shop, but also quick to suggest other coffee and food to check out.<br /><br />And now that I'm back in Buffalo, I have an awesome problem: how to drink all this coffee...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xX4KInXLFVc/T7ueebz6nII/AAAAAAAAAlU/yehK4UrjsX4/s1600/IMGP6545.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xX4KInXLFVc/T7ueebz6nII/AAAAAAAAAlU/yehK4UrjsX4/s320/IMGP6545.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br />jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-64890001221159968012012-05-22T05:56:00.000-07:002013-03-06T07:13:15.447-08:00Milwaukee!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-utOQ1AbiFtg/T7aPwjA9HBI/AAAAAAAAAdw/sshmBZzGBMg/s1600/IMGP6367.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-utOQ1AbiFtg/T7aPwjA9HBI/AAAAAAAAAdw/sshmBZzGBMg/s320/IMGP6367.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I visited the fine city of Milwaukee for the first time last week, and I was quite impressed!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-koQkQB2LNEQ/T7uBU-Ky7BI/AAAAAAAAAeA/edHx3T_Z0qo/s1600/IMGP6310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-koQkQB2LNEQ/T7uBU-Ky7BI/AAAAAAAAAeA/edHx3T_Z0qo/s320/IMGP6310.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Mostly I was there to see my old friends Tony &amp; Sarah, and the relatively newer Julian.&nbsp; Milwaukee, however, has a pretty nice coffee scene going on as well...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Zc4ChnsfOE/T7uBwQNRcnI/AAAAAAAAAeI/ti65onPwoNk/s1600/IMGP6256.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1Zc4ChnsfOE/T7uBwQNRcnI/AAAAAAAAAeI/ti65onPwoNk/s320/IMGP6256.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><a href="http://alterracoffee.com/">Alterra</a> is the biggest name in town, and they are doing a bang-up job.&nbsp; My first visit was to their "Foundry" location, 170 1st Street.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YQo_3yafOx4/T7uCZj7ZuwI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/hLyW4SR56BU/s1600/IMGP6255.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YQo_3yafOx4/T7uCZj7ZuwI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/hLyW4SR56BU/s320/IMGP6255.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>My espresso, Tony's Cortado.&nbsp; And a pretty awesome datebar.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1-tvNHiQfwA/T7uCwOTxklI/AAAAAAAAAeY/BGKoH9veiyg/s1600/IMGP6229.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1-tvNHiQfwA/T7uCwOTxklI/AAAAAAAAAeY/BGKoH9veiyg/s320/IMGP6229.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Got some pretty good vegan hash at <a href="http://www.thecometcafe.com/">Comet Cafe</a>, a pretty hopping diner-y establishment.&nbsp; With a full bar, and an espresso bar.&nbsp; Almost tried out their spro-craft, but then I saw the dreaded "Do Not Change The Setting" written on the side of the espresso grinder.&nbsp; Alas!&nbsp; Food was good though.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CfrzOLh-SkE/T7uDdjAio1I/AAAAAAAAAeg/smx0TwXKUpA/s1600/IMGP6286.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CfrzOLh-SkE/T7uDdjAio1I/AAAAAAAAAeg/smx0TwXKUpA/s320/IMGP6286.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>A little joint called <a href="http://www.brewedonbrady.com/">Brewed Cafe</a> was just around the corner from Tony &amp; Sarah's, at 1208 E. Brady; wound up spending some time there over the week.&nbsp; Serving up Anodyne coffee and doing a good job of it--the above is not my favorite style of cap, but the shot &amp; milk were both good.&nbsp; I walked in skeptical, and then saw: 2-group Linea in good condition, naked PFs w/o splatters everywhere, shot-timers showing in the mid-twenties from the previous spros.&nbsp; Heaves a sigh of relief.&nbsp; They also were doing a good job on their cold brew coffee.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IZQzfb2fDTs/T7uERUqBN_I/AAAAAAAAAeo/l6OiJftISKQ/s1600/IMGP6342.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-IZQzfb2fDTs/T7uERUqBN_I/AAAAAAAAAeo/l6OiJftISKQ/s320/IMGP6342.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Not coffee-related <i>per se</i>, but pretty sweet--Tony has been working for the <a href="http://bfw.org/">Milwaukee Bike Federation</a>, and we helped out at the launch-party for their new facility.&nbsp; Saw a few of Alterra's awesome cycling caps in attendance (<i>see picture at top).</i><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P16jVo0YuLw/T7uFZqFunJI/AAAAAAAAAe4/tpdkABngE2M/s1600/IMGP6382.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P16jVo0YuLw/T7uFZqFunJI/AAAAAAAAAe4/tpdkABngE2M/s320/IMGP6382.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><i>&nbsp;</i>Alterra's roastworks at 2999 North Humboldt is pretty awesome.&nbsp; Full cafe, with the 2 Probats on display just on the other side of the bar.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oJGDIz8zGo4/T7uEzNu57oI/AAAAAAAAAew/1AYFXtf7FVE/s1600/IMGP6331.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oJGDIz8zGo4/T7uEzNu57oI/AAAAAAAAAew/1AYFXtf7FVE/s320/IMGP6331.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Cup of Kenya off the slow bar.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZRB6JYzJF70/T7uFm3WGeyI/AAAAAAAAAfA/JDKhv1UO19g/s1600/IMGP6377.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZRB6JYzJF70/T7uFm3WGeyI/AAAAAAAAAfA/JDKhv1UO19g/s320/IMGP6377.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Mickey, the store manager, is a Buffalonian by extraction (note to self: use "by extraction" puns more).&nbsp; I'd met him at Spot's roastery a while back, but didn't recognize him at first because of his glorious beard.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iAst7x2MKuc/T7uF4J6gPUI/AAAAAAAAAfI/fnYnvEnfDlo/s1600/IMGP6376.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iAst7x2MKuc/T7uF4J6gPUI/AAAAAAAAAfI/fnYnvEnfDlo/s320/IMGP6376.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Nathan rocking the BGA suit.&nbsp; I was hoping to catch up with illustrious coffee-man Scott Lucey, but I kept missing him.&nbsp; Then, as we're flicking through Milwaukee public television later that night, look what I see:<br /><br /><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="354" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/35589639?color=ffffff" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="471"></iframe><br /><br />(Scott's espresso 101 starts at 20:20.)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOkjd69ei5I/T7uIKbca-oI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/SicVZFNYJ4g/s1600/IMGP6386.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AOkjd69ei5I/T7uIKbca-oI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/SicVZFNYJ4g/s320/IMGP6386.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;Stopped by the <a href="http://www.milwaukeepublicmarket.org/main.html">Public Market</a> for some chow.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6aXwrwtrbMs/T7uI4shRzrI/AAAAAAAAAfg/T6vvP-5FGaE/s1600/IMGP6387.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6aXwrwtrbMs/T7uI4shRzrI/AAAAAAAAAfg/T6vvP-5FGaE/s320/IMGP6387.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>&nbsp;Tempting as this giant inflatable crustacean was, I went for the avocado tempeh wrap.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QzikvaLA-NY/T7uIfrY8ltI/AAAAAAAAAfY/5ryKmBgnT10/s1600/IMGP6388.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QzikvaLA-NY/T7uIfrY8ltI/AAAAAAAAAfY/5ryKmBgnT10/s320/IMGP6388.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>And on the way out, rapped with the folks at <a href="http://www.cedarburgcoffee.com/">Cedarburg Coffee</a> for a bit.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_rJmsODrcvQ/T7uJSrucJ8I/AAAAAAAAAfo/CmJlx-q4fEU/s1600/IMGP6408.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-_rJmsODrcvQ/T7uJSrucJ8I/AAAAAAAAAfo/CmJlx-q4fEU/s320/IMGP6408.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Fun facts about Jake: I'm a sucker for botanical gardens.&nbsp; So I had to check out the <a href="http://county.milwaukee.gov/MitchellParkConserva10116.htm">Mitchell Park Conservatory.</a><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iuiR9cEN5Mc/T7uJ0ittNGI/AAAAAAAAAfw/7XPhxRRPq7g/s1600/IMGP6434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iuiR9cEN5Mc/T7uJ0ittNGI/AAAAAAAAAfw/7XPhxRRPq7g/s320/IMGP6434.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>As giant geodesic domes full of plants go, pretty good.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pV96JQbY7XQ/T7uKB3gxtnI/AAAAAAAAAf4/4-0vA7pdoqA/s1600/IMGP6445.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pV96JQbY7XQ/T7uKB3gxtnI/AAAAAAAAAf4/4-0vA7pdoqA/s320/IMGP6445.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Award for best espresso on my trip (including the Chicago expedition) goes to <a href="http://www.anodynecoffee.com/">Anodyne</a>, at 2920 South Kinnickinnic Ave.&nbsp; They also probably get the award for best graphic design.&nbsp; And they had cycling jerseys for sale!&nbsp; Sadly, a little expensive for me.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FqF8CTVWWe8/T7uKpQT38hI/AAAAAAAAAgA/JWM5CJV9XSA/s1600/IMGP6449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FqF8CTVWWe8/T7uKpQT38hI/AAAAAAAAAgA/JWM5CJV9XSA/s320/IMGP6449.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Roasting on a Samiac in-store.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4VBmNZXtN0M/T7uKx_2ayvI/AAAAAAAAAgI/8j4ae3TLohI/s1600/IMGP6447.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4VBmNZXtN0M/T7uKx_2ayvI/AAAAAAAAAgI/8j4ae3TLohI/s320/IMGP6447.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Yes, that is a Strada MP behind the pour-over station and ghostly baristas.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wyDyZO2l2Jc/T7uK9JCTjlI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/9vDcSIwNY4E/s1600/IMGP6451.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wyDyZO2l2Jc/T7uK9JCTjlI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/9vDcSIwNY4E/s320/IMGP6451.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>While we were in the neighborhood, grabbed some sweet potato tots and BBQ seitan at the <a href="http://palominobar.com/">Palomino</a>.<br /><br />Anodyne may have got the "Best Spro" star, but Alterra at the lake definitely gets "Best Regular-Type Cuppa Joe" and "Holy Cow, Best Location".<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fDKEqGQWb_A/T7uLgPlLC-I/AAAAAAAAAgY/It0qnfhQJ1A/s1600/IMGP6374.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fDKEqGQWb_A/T7uLgPlLC-I/AAAAAAAAAgY/It0qnfhQJ1A/s320/IMGP6374.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Refurbished but STILL FUNCTIONAL pumping station looking out over the lake, plunked right down in one of the best uses of a waterfront I've seen.&nbsp; Seriously Milwaukee, how did you pull that off?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-42Z0rfL3u88/T7uLuj5D7lI/AAAAAAAAAgg/OoFreDmrsXY/s1600/IMGP6373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-42Z0rfL3u88/T7uLuj5D7lI/AAAAAAAAAgg/OoFreDmrsXY/s320/IMGP6373.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Retail &amp; counter.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o3SSXyRGaMA/T7uL8ynzknI/AAAAAAAAAgo/hRe8p8F3B0I/s1600/IMGP6372.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-o3SSXyRGaMA/T7uL8ynzknI/AAAAAAAAAgo/hRe8p8F3B0I/s320/IMGP6372.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Seating around the pumping mechanisms.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rBuSke4vhvQ/T7uMbMsBBGI/AAAAAAAAAgw/ztMBBodRICc/s1600/IMGP6371.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rBuSke4vhvQ/T7uMbMsBBGI/AAAAAAAAAgw/ztMBBodRICc/s320/IMGP6371.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Tons of seating downstairs, upstairs, and outside.&nbsp; Awesome cafe.<br /><br />All in all, I was incredibly impressed with Milwaukee, both generally as a city and specifically for the coffee scene.&nbsp; Still not sold on the brandy old fashioned though.<br /><br />On to Chicago!jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-10602140323118770382012-05-14T08:07:00.000-07:002013-03-06T07:13:15.465-08:00Pittsburgh Crawl<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-47AZDqvxMT8/T7EXNU9u2iI/AAAAAAAAAY0/weIoTjJPzKI/s1600/IMGP5986.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-47AZDqvxMT8/T7EXNU9u2iI/AAAAAAAAAY0/weIoTjJPzKI/s320/IMGP5986.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>I haven't had a chance to bum around Pittsburgh for a while, and I've often thought that I may wind up down at some point in the future, so I dropped in for a really quick coffee tour.&nbsp; Rainy day, but I found some nice brews.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0psuGfBA-vQ/T7EX3C_OLSI/AAAAAAAAAY8/63G9WqKdJLc/s1600/IMGP5969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0psuGfBA-vQ/T7EX3C_OLSI/AAAAAAAAAY8/63G9WqKdJLc/s320/IMGP5969.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Not terribly impressed with the latte at Make Your Mark, and that's with the advantage of first-caffeine-of-the-day.&nbsp; Nice space, though.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KcXg7sYMePw/T7EYKGEzglI/AAAAAAAAAZE/K4bh2Jq0ixM/s1600/IMGP5970.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-KcXg7sYMePw/T7EYKGEzglI/AAAAAAAAAZE/K4bh2Jq0ixM/s320/IMGP5970.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Coffee Tree Roasters also pretty unimpressive espresso-wise; I didn't try the drip.&nbsp; Big, high-volume place on a pretty swank street, though.<br /><br />Needed some food, and the webs suggested <a href="http://www.qspgh.com/">Quiet Storm</a>, at 5430 Penn Ave.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-juXAmbn4Fv0/T7EZJXNIF4I/AAAAAAAAAZM/9iyrRJmrqTI/s1600/IMGP5971.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-juXAmbn4Fv0/T7EZJXNIF4I/AAAAAAAAAZM/9iyrRJmrqTI/s320/IMGP5971.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Ridiculously good veggie home-fry concoction FTW.&nbsp; And while driving here I saw one of the other cafes on my list, so I stopped by:<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.volutocoffee.com/">Volotu Coffee</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">5467 Penn Ave</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ST8GuQWLWJY/T7EZkSWpsCI/AAAAAAAAAZU/7bOtwEVbN3c/s1600/IMGP5973.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ST8GuQWLWJY/T7EZkSWpsCI/AAAAAAAAAZU/7bOtwEVbN3c/s320/IMGP5973.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Really nice shop, pretty quiet.&nbsp; Rocking <a href="http://www.49thparallelroasters.com/">49th Parallel</a>; their Epic Espresso has always been a favorite of mine.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-craExi2ahgY/T7EaESL4llI/AAAAAAAAAZc/CejguhFMP_E/s1600/IMGP5972.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-craExi2ahgY/T7EaESL4llI/AAAAAAAAAZc/CejguhFMP_E/s320/IMGP5972.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Nice shot off their Synesso, great presentation.&nbsp; I also got a Clever of a pretty nice, lemony Yirgachefe.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.tazzadoro.net/">Tazza D'Oro</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">1125 North Highland Ave</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qbCxJi3bpTA/T7EbK7FHnsI/AAAAAAAAAZk/qeEgGCg4SS4/s1600/IMGP5975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-qbCxJi3bpTA/T7EbK7FHnsI/AAAAAAAAAZk/qeEgGCg4SS4/s320/IMGP5975.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">Lovely cafe, nice decor, could totally see myself hanging out here for hours.&nbsp; Brewing up <a href="http://www.vervecoffeeroasters.com/">Verve</a> &amp; <a href="http://www.olympiacoffee.com/">Olympia</a> coffees, quite unexpectedly--got a single-origin Colombian spro by Olympia that was quite tasty.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LcmeefiGeA0/T7EcYQG300I/AAAAAAAAAZs/0GKhpt9jq7c/s1600/IMGP5977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LcmeefiGeA0/T7EcYQG300I/AAAAAAAAAZs/0GKhpt9jq7c/s320/IMGP5977.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://espressoamano.com/">Espresso A Mano</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">3623 Butler St.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yKHP1GS8ofk/T7Ec3dN7III/AAAAAAAAAZ0/EDI-e_S67-Q/s1600/IMGP5978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yKHP1GS8ofk/T7Ec3dN7III/AAAAAAAAAZ0/EDI-e_S67-Q/s320/IMGP5978.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Hands-down my favorite stop of the trip.&nbsp; This is the kind of shop I'd like to run.&nbsp; Multi-roaster, great menu, GB/5 and K10 Fresh, staff looked like they were really on top of their game.&nbsp; I had a shot of <a href="http://counterculturecoffee.com/index.php">Counter Culture</a>'s Baroida--there is a reason people have been freaking out about this coffee.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RJuKj0S2O3U/T7EdQxye-uI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/OwycOHFHvYA/s1600/IMGP5974.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RJuKj0S2O3U/T7EdQxye-uI/AAAAAAAAAZ8/OwycOHFHvYA/s320/IMGP5974.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">In fact, it smelled so good that I forgot to snap a pic before devouring most of it.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://21streetcoffee.com/">21st St. Coffee and Tea</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">50 21st Street</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XTtgJmpHpNA/T7EeGfUTqQI/AAAAAAAAAaE/EebADqlPpWU/s1600/IMGP5984.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-XTtgJmpHpNA/T7EeGfUTqQI/AAAAAAAAAaE/EebADqlPpWU/s320/IMGP5984.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Seriously good coffee in the strip district, an Intelligentsia account.&nbsp; Had a really lovely v60 of a nice Rwandan.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LW4Kc2YN69U/T7EegCvd7QI/AAAAAAAAAaM/_u7d8uRKVW4/s1600/IMGP5982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LW4Kc2YN69U/T7EegCvd7QI/AAAAAAAAAaM/_u7d8uRKVW4/s320/IMGP5982.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;">They also had one of the best bits of bathroom reading material I've encountered:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K5T7CpcNybc/T7EeuTnlRNI/AAAAAAAAAaU/Oh89cwuQViw/s1600/IMGP5981.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-K5T7CpcNybc/T7EeuTnlRNI/AAAAAAAAAaU/Oh89cwuQViw/s320/IMGP5981.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">All in all, good job Pittsburgh!&nbsp; Really nice to see multiple locations doing some serious third-wave, and look like they're succeeding at it.&nbsp; I didn't make it to <a href="http://www.commonplacecoffee.com/">Commonplace</a>, thanks to one wrong decision on Pittsburgh's not-terribly-friendly-to-outsiders non-grid of a street system.&nbsp; Also didn't make it to Orbis, formerly Aldo: things to do next time.&nbsp; Looking forward to getting back down.</div>jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-90996790591421067562012-05-01T05:09:00.000-07:002013-03-06T07:13:15.490-08:00Jams!Have some Pittsburgh coffee tour notes to put up, but in the meantime, a few events to bring to your attention:<br /><br />Java's of Rochester is hosting a barista jam this Sunday, May 6, with the involvement of the good folks at Joe Bean.&nbsp; I'll be either pouring or judging!<br /><br />The BGA just announced <a href="http://www.baristaguildofamerica.net/camp.html">East Coast Pull-A-Shot</a>; unfortunately the short notice may make it impossible for me to go.&nbsp; If you're a serious barista, I can't recommend this camp strongly enough.<br /><br />Finally, Spot Coffee is hosting another throwdown, Thursday May 31st, at Spot Coffee Elmwood.&nbsp; Roshen made pretty much the awesomest poster I've ever seen:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mjMl67gnLZI/T5_SSVN7w3I/AAAAAAAAAYY/H5JUM5KXmxY/s1600/madMaxAndMasterBlasterCOLOR2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mjMl67gnLZI/T5_SSVN7w3I/AAAAAAAAAYY/H5JUM5KXmxY/s400/madMaxAndMasterBlasterCOLOR2.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>See you there!jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-33655396132107228162012-04-02T09:50:00.000-07:002013-03-06T07:13:15.504-08:00Reblag: Frankenmazzer<a href="http://mseed.hubpages.com/hub/Best-Mazzer-Coffee-Grinder---Frankenmazzer-Super-Jolly-Espresso-Coffee-Grinder">Things I want to do</a>: <br /><br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">&nbsp;<strong>The goal was to install a blower system that would keep the chute clean without having to use a brush.</strong></blockquote><br /><br /><a href="http://mseed.hubpages.com/hub/Best-Mazzer-Coffee-Grinder---Frankenmazzer-Super-Jolly-Espresso-Coffee-Grinder">http://mseed.hubpages.com/hub/Best-Mazzer-Coffee-Grinder---Frankenmazzer-Super-Jolly-Espresso-Coffee-Grinder</a>jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-15244076440064593702012-03-21T09:31:00.000-07:002013-03-06T07:13:15.529-08:00B-lo Barista Jam!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Tms4eiGXL8/T2oBsnY0TVI/AAAAAAAAAXo/MnW2KSXstEk/s1600/throwdownsign.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7Tms4eiGXL8/T2oBsnY0TVI/AAAAAAAAAXo/MnW2KSXstEk/s400/throwdownsign.png" width="241" /></a></div>Buffalo Barista jam is coming!&nbsp; Forgot to put up the poster earlier.&nbsp; This design is by Michael Lloyd, who's also been doing a lot of our coffee signage lately.<br /><br />I'm hoping we get a great turn-out at this thing, I'll post more when we have it!&nbsp; Facebook event here:<br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/events/187106701393040/">http://www.facebook.com/events/187106701393040/</a>jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-20713012606089113902012-02-28T19:40:00.000-08:002013-03-06T07:13:15.554-08:00Over-Ambitious Coffee Weekend<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d6JQvKWOig8/T02CDgV74aI/AAAAAAAAATI/ai36C1BpvMM/s1600/IMGP5523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-d6JQvKWOig8/T02CDgV74aI/AAAAAAAAATI/ai36C1BpvMM/s400/IMGP5523.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Friday: Wake up and realize I don't have time to make coffee!&nbsp; Usually this is a bad omen.&nbsp; Today, I am way too busy to assign it any meaning other than lack of delicious stimulants.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2_qOEI6xcFk/T02CFJrR0SI/AAAAAAAAATQ/2blv-CwAm_8/s1600/IMGP5527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2_qOEI6xcFk/T02CFJrR0SI/AAAAAAAAATQ/2blv-CwAm_8/s400/IMGP5527.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Green bike is still in the shop, so it's me and the single-speed.&nbsp; To work!<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3m0I8J8BSls/T02CIELrEOI/AAAAAAAAATc/hmRY_z-5K9Y/s1600/IMGP5537.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3m0I8J8BSls/T02CIELrEOI/AAAAAAAAATc/hmRY_z-5K9Y/s400/IMGP5537.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>Luke with some fresh-blended Puckslap.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xw31YQ0UDW0/T02CJb7phyI/AAAAAAAAATk/usLxS2XisoE/s1600/IMGP5540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xw31YQ0UDW0/T02CJb7phyI/AAAAAAAAATk/usLxS2XisoE/s400/IMGP5540.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Rap with Chad about some coffee stuff for a bit.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sIUAk4lzAHQ/T02CGlfEPvI/AAAAAAAAATU/S-02CpJZDyk/s1600/IMGP5529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sIUAk4lzAHQ/T02CGlfEPvI/AAAAAAAAATU/S-02CpJZDyk/s400/IMGP5529.JPG" width="265" /></a></div>Rip apart, clean, calibrate Elmwood's Compak K10 Fresh.&nbsp; It had been doing this weird thing where it wasn't adjusting smoothly at certain vital ranges-- seeming to get a little coarser after fining adjustments and vice versa.<br /><br />Dang, but I like these grinders!&nbsp; Really nice design, the burr housing chamber is tight, really keeps build-up to a minimum.&nbsp; I think the issue on this one was just that a lot of grounds had been forced into the threads, possibly by baristas fining it up without grinding.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GEDnLnKdcuU/T02CKn0wFlI/AAAAAAAAATs/BQ5lVwZanZE/s1600/IMGP5548.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GEDnLnKdcuU/T02CKn0wFlI/AAAAAAAAATs/BQ5lVwZanZE/s400/IMGP5548.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>The Rosh tests it out, back at Elmwood.&nbsp; I was re-installing the grinder right in the middle of a rush and I was like "oh no I have to make 30 drinks to test this grinder.&nbsp; Oh no."&nbsp; Boy I miss just being the barista-on-duty for rushes like that.<br /><br />Then I forgot to take more pictures!&nbsp; Scrambled around doing all kinds of work stuff, scrambled around packing up, grabbed a beer and a ride with <a href="http://reinventingnature.blogspot.com/">M. Konkol</a>.<br /><br />A ride to the Greyhound!&nbsp; The Greyhound to NYC.&nbsp; For the NERBC!<br /><br />(<a href="http://usbaristachampionship.org/">That's the North-East Regional Barista Competition</a>. I competed <a href="http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1957343977725.2113151.1366505351&amp;type=3&amp;l=dfd4ff441c">last year</a> and it was an amazing experience.&nbsp; Never did blog about it, shame on me.)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JW5l5f35Fu4/T02Jgo49f9I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/WLYM7R2D8H0/s1600/IMGP3372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JW5l5f35Fu4/T02Jgo49f9I/AAAAAAAAAXQ/WLYM7R2D8H0/s400/IMGP3372.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>(In addition to being one of the best skill- and confidence-building experiences, the NERBC 2011 also presented me with the opportunity to utter the phrase: <br />"Excuse me, but are you <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_Funk">Chris Funk</a>?")<br /><br />Not competing this year, but I wanted to see what everyone was doing.&nbsp; Also just wanted to see people, primarily this guy:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OEm93Eo4nsk/T02CNnS4GSI/AAAAAAAAAT8/YJClTwzXh3Y/s1600/IMGP5561.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OEm93Eo4nsk/T02CNnS4GSI/AAAAAAAAAT8/YJClTwzXh3Y/s400/IMGP5561.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Burke's been head-barista-ing at caffe bene since heading down to Manhattan, and just got hired to work with Blue Bottle!&nbsp; Very exciting.&nbsp; On which note, we swung by the new Blue Bottle shop by Milk Studios:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3HScZy-Jnzk/T02CMMM66aI/AAAAAAAAAT0/eHACTfnOYBs/s1600/IMGP5556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3HScZy-Jnzk/T02CMMM66aI/AAAAAAAAAT0/eHACTfnOYBs/s400/IMGP5556.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />&nbsp;Nice shop, super simple.&nbsp; Bought a bag of a Honduran COE that, as of this morning, Clever-brewed, is easily the best cup I've had in 2012, quite possibly 2011 as well.&nbsp; Cup I got of the same coffee in the store was nice, spicy, but not very well extracted.&nbsp; Perils of hand-brewing.<br /><br />Ran into the Chelsea Market since we were right there.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-pJIYSSNOk/T02CO54kFSI/AAAAAAAAAUE/6XchBrtbSrE/s1600/IMGP5564.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Z-pJIYSSNOk/T02CO54kFSI/AAAAAAAAAUE/6XchBrtbSrE/s400/IMGP5564.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Shot of Ninth Street's Alphabet City Blend and a toasted almond brioche from Amy's bakery.&nbsp; Nice shot!&nbsp; And I've all but cut refined sugar from my diet, so every cell in my body freaked out from the pastry.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SwO6i0pA_u4/T02CQo8wf5I/AAAAAAAAAUQ/MhfucUXm4vk/s1600/IMGP5565.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-SwO6i0pA_u4/T02CQo8wf5I/AAAAAAAAAUQ/MhfucUXm4vk/s400/IMGP5565.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Excuse the dim photo, but look at that menu.&nbsp; No surprise that Ninth St. wins the <a href="http://imbibemagazine.com/Best-Coffee-in-New-York-City">"no frills"</a> award.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pd6h65NkEQo/T02CSIhyjfI/AAAAAAAAAUY/KO4NjfAYUl0/s1600/IMGP5571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Pd6h65NkEQo/T02CSIhyjfI/AAAAAAAAAUY/KO4NjfAYUl0/s400/IMGP5571.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Swung by <a href="http://cultureespresso.com/">Culture</a> and grabbed a shot of Hairbender.&nbsp; Best Hairbender I've had in ages, actually.&nbsp; Can't get over all the Strada MPs everywhere in New York.&nbsp; As <a href="http://buffalobrewing.blogspot.com/2011/08/strada-ep-tour.html">I've said before</a>, I love the EP but can't imagine using the MP in a shop environment.&nbsp; Not sure if that's a price point thing or availability or what, but I saw an awful lot of them (MPs, as opposed to EPs) on this trip, so people must be pretty happy with them.<br /><br />But Mike was sensory-judging, so we scurried back to the competition:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9MDne2Z1k48/T02CTOVLlKI/AAAAAAAAAUg/2Y-qbs1WeDE/s1600/IMGP5582.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9MDne2Z1k48/T02CTOVLlKI/AAAAAAAAAUg/2Y-qbs1WeDE/s400/IMGP5582.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Mike DeJesus from Dallis.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ECW-x5Qun0/T02CUMBlTXI/AAAAAAAAAUk/BNLju4PrnUg/s1600/IMGP5597.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4ECW-x5Qun0/T02CUMBlTXI/AAAAAAAAAUk/BNLju4PrnUg/s400/IMGP5597.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Brady from <a href="http://www.pavementcoffeehouse.com/">Pavement</a>, one of my favorite shops in Boston.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vb1sHmSAw6I/T02CVTiEmwI/AAAAAAAAAUs/KFzNipPCuh8/s1600/IMGP5598.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Vb1sHmSAw6I/T02CVTiEmwI/AAAAAAAAAUs/KFzNipPCuh8/s400/IMGP5598.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Anonymous Dallis hunk Chemexing up some really tasty Kenya.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hIaS3tntZrw/T02CWxfrB6I/AAAAAAAAAU4/x01nqUlaBU0/s1600/IMGP5601.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hIaS3tntZrw/T02CWxfrB6I/AAAAAAAAAU4/x01nqUlaBU0/s400/IMGP5601.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>This year's competition machine, the Nuovo T3.&nbsp; I really want to rip one apart and see how it works.&nbsp; Apparently it's feeding individual brew boilers off of a heat-exchange system, with multiple PID points--<a href="http://media.avclub.com/images/articles/article/47157/locutusofborg_jpg_627x325_crop_upscale_q85.jpg">best of both worlds</a>.&nbsp; So it oughta be pretty stable.&nbsp; Still the Aurelia-style wand &amp; lever, which I like, though I'd like some more practice on them.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H_PEFJa-hWc/T02CYEoo94I/AAAAAAAAAVA/aohMWzejex0/s1600/IMGP5605.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H_PEFJa-hWc/T02CYEoo94I/AAAAAAAAAVA/aohMWzejex0/s400/IMGP5605.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Ben Turiano of <a href="http://www.joebeanroasters.com/">Joe Bean</a> setting up.&nbsp; Mad props to these folks, they had people competing for the Barista &amp; Brewer's competition, judges, and general support.&nbsp; They actually closed the shop for the weekend so they could all come out.&nbsp; Ben was super-polished.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f2M8tPvFn7Q/T02CaITViZI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/F8dQ8szqmy4/s1600/IMGP5630.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-f2M8tPvFn7Q/T02CaITViZI/AAAAAAAAAVQ/F8dQ8szqmy4/s400/IMGP5630.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Katie's set up.&nbsp; I didn't get any good pictures through her set because I was kind of enthralled.&nbsp; Wonderfully presented coffee, very educational, just nailed it.&nbsp; Not surprised at all when she won.&nbsp; Katie was the first person in specialty coffee to really teach me how to pull shots, way back at a Tamp Tamp class in the mists of time.&nbsp; I've always been a little intimidated by her, impressed by her knowledge and educatin' abilities; it was really cool to watch her perform this year.&nbsp; And I got to try some of her espresso on the 4th bar: pretty amazing.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4ZNj0mXv1AY/T02CbXPetkI/AAAAAAAAAVY/E_te1znNvRg/s1600/IMGP5651.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4ZNj0mXv1AY/T02CbXPetkI/AAAAAAAAAVY/E_te1znNvRg/s400/IMGP5651.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Brewer's cup is an awesome competition in terms of furthering our brewing skills; not as exciting to watch, sadly.&nbsp; Some exquisite techniques going on, though.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ljg0Ft9gQaE/T02CcyVsWVI/AAAAAAAAAVg/HnKKBHNBxqU/s1600/IMGP5654.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ljg0Ft9gQaE/T02CcyVsWVI/AAAAAAAAAVg/HnKKBHNBxqU/s400/IMGP5654.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Marcus running around making everything happen.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zo0h3DYNJjU/T02CeCcJ41I/AAAAAAAAAVo/LKhhQR1HsA0/s1600/IMGP5669.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zo0h3DYNJjU/T02CeCcJ41I/AAAAAAAAAVo/LKhhQR1HsA0/s400/IMGP5669.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Oh look!&nbsp; It is Michael Phillips.&nbsp; Shouldn't he be at <a href="http://www.handsomecoffee.com/">that one coffee place</a>, opening this weekend?<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fz2J1HtRhAs/T02Cfe5IVyI/AAAAAAAAAVw/bIHA0HVjGfk/s1600/IMGP5680.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fz2J1HtRhAs/T02Cfe5IVyI/AAAAAAAAAVw/bIHA0HVjGfk/s400/IMGP5680.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Ah, Park is using Handsome's coffee and barista guru-ing.&nbsp; Now it makes sense.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RSWIE1SsASc/T02Cg-USqpI/AAAAAAAAAV4/8PkgyMrfoEs/s1600/IMGP5688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RSWIE1SsASc/T02Cg-USqpI/AAAAAAAAAV4/8PkgyMrfoEs/s400/IMGP5688.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Terrible photo of two of the nicest and most knowledgeable folks in coffee.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tvrpKsj3QDo/T02CjK7SWXI/AAAAAAAAAWI/Il4qgb5OWBk/s1600/IMGP5701.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-tvrpKsj3QDo/T02CjK7SWXI/AAAAAAAAAWI/Il4qgb5OWBk/s400/IMGP5701.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Sam Lewontin, one of the Sams of <a href="http://everymanespresso.com/">Everyman</a>.&nbsp; Impeccable presentation focused on the concept of balance in a beverage.&nbsp; Sam called time at 14:59, perfectly run routine, pretty awesome.<br /><br />All in all a great competition this year, the bar has gotten really high.&nbsp;&nbsp; I got to see a lot of people, tasted some delicious coffees, wandered around the bizarro Coffee &amp; Tea fest that was "hosting" it, even got an awkward, prolonged, European hug-hold-kiss from Gianni.&nbsp; All in all, fantastic.<br /><br />Grabbed some noodles with Mike &amp; Megan, discussed Angora rabbit shearing stations.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JY_tJ-QtbBY/T02CkvIGYRI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/kCv8XCqPstI/s1600/IMGP5717.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JY_tJ-QtbBY/T02CkvIGYRI/AAAAAAAAAWQ/kCv8XCqPstI/s400/IMGP5717.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Stopped into Culture again for a little shindig Stumptown was hosting--first taste of 4 or 5 different coffees they're just putting on the shelves.&nbsp; Tasty stuff, Kenyas, Ethiopians, &amp; Colombians.&nbsp; Apparently, Stump is not buying natural coffees anymore, which is...interesting.&nbsp; Surprising, though I myself lean that way.<br /><br />Then, hopped a bus to Boston!&nbsp; Because I am crazy.&nbsp; Also, because Boston contains my friends Julie, Anthony, Jessica, and also lots of coffee.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p1n82diJ9H0/T02ZwOp9npI/AAAAAAAAAXY/tRacSglmXeg/s1600/IMGP5721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p1n82diJ9H0/T02ZwOp9npI/AAAAAAAAAXY/tRacSglmXeg/s400/IMGP5721.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>All hail seitan at <a href="http://www.cloverfoodlab.com/">Clover</a> in Harvard Square.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bMXcSrUkUuY/T02ClrsloNI/AAAAAAAAAWY/3qJObWjUhuw/s1600/IMGP5720.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bMXcSrUkUuY/T02ClrsloNI/AAAAAAAAAWY/3qJObWjUhuw/s400/IMGP5720.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Clover also has a wonderful, simple coffee program--hot water towers &amp; Melittas, rotating guest coffees from near &amp; far.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7cQFU9oiyp0/T02CmzFxQVI/AAAAAAAAAWg/4_7TcUoF4iY/s1600/IMGP5722.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7cQFU9oiyp0/T02CmzFxQVI/AAAAAAAAAWg/4_7TcUoF4iY/s400/IMGP5722.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Hanging out with A &amp; J.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--s-tWbQIY_8/T02CocBTttI/AAAAAAAAAWo/x1bXs2xpEq0/s1600/IMGP5726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--s-tWbQIY_8/T02CocBTttI/AAAAAAAAAWo/x1bXs2xpEq0/s400/IMGP5726.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Jessica in Harvard somewhere.<br /><br />So we went looking for Dwelltime, Barismo's new joint, and the internet totally failed at telling us whether it was open or not.&nbsp; Turns out it wasn't!&nbsp; Bummer.&nbsp; Got some hippie juice from a hippie juice-bar instead.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P72ZofsJusU/T02Cpqo5v9I/AAAAAAAAAWw/XseEAVe_Z8s/s1600/IMGP5728.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-P72ZofsJusU/T02Cpqo5v9I/AAAAAAAAAWw/XseEAVe_Z8s/s400/IMGP5728.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Another victim of the beet-juice.<br /><br />Not pictured: obligatory stop at <a href="http://cremacambridge.com/">Crema</a> in Harvard square; they are still doing a great job. <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8R9kGmiZGac/T02Cq_p8wPI/AAAAAAAAAW4/8igAXJB5egE/s1600/IMGP5739.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8R9kGmiZGac/T02Cq_p8wPI/AAAAAAAAAW4/8igAXJB5egE/s400/IMGP5739.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>George Howell's cafe in Newton. So good.&nbsp; Really awesome atmosphere, very relaxed and neighborhood-feeling.&nbsp; 20 or so seats, small but tasty food menu (I had a pretty banging pear/goat-cheese/honey crepe), and then you're like, "Oh, and this is the best coffee I have ever had, and they didn't even make a big deal of it."&nbsp; For the win.&nbsp; Really nice experience, got to meet the man the legend Mr. Howell himself, as well as some of his staff.<br /><br />Not pictured: hiked back into Boston to meet Jessica at Pavement, which is still ridiculously high on my all-time favorite shop list.&nbsp; Right up there with Peregrine in DC.&nbsp; Got a delicious bagel &amp; tofu-spread concoction with sprouts like whoa, and a well-brewed cup of Counter Culture's Idido, aka "the very berries".<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7_zwpodkSAs/T02CsTWXP6I/AAAAAAAAAXA/wkGZMqSsIlM/s1600/IMGP5742.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7_zwpodkSAs/T02CsTWXP6I/AAAAAAAAAXA/wkGZMqSsIlM/s400/IMGP5742.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Walked about Boston for a bit with J, checked out this <a href="http://rendercoffeebar.com/">Render Coffee</a> joint.&nbsp; Well done!&nbsp; Got a very tasty shot of Apollo 7.0, again off a Strada MP, and rapped with the barista for a bit.&nbsp; Turns out they know Phil Roberts, a guy who's been recently involved in Buffalo-area coffee (the Delish rebuild, now roasting in East Aurora with the Elm Street Bakery.)&nbsp; Small world.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A34GkkduT9I/T02CtqVCuUI/AAAAAAAAAXI/AhLedMXuRU4/s1600/IMGP5743.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A34GkkduT9I/T02CtqVCuUI/AAAAAAAAAXI/AhLedMXuRU4/s400/IMGP5743.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Last coffee of the weekend: Hairbender cap and an eclair at <a href="http://thinkingcup.com/">Thinking Cup</a>.&nbsp; Dig this bar, low ceiling, quiet, very close but lots of seating.&nbsp; And I think the first Stumptown I've run into in Boston.&nbsp; And yes, I realize it's poor form that I'm visible in the reflection.<br /><br />Wonderful trip, good coffee, good people.&nbsp; And I am still recuperating.&nbsp; More things soon.jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-51580103499212913002012-01-31T08:45:00.000-08:002013-03-06T07:13:15.586-08:00Still Brewin'Have been having pretty crazy computer issues-- it managed to eat my novel-length 2011 coffee summary, which I will re-write soon here.<br /><br />In the meantime, quick updates:<br />-Running around doing lots and lots of machine maintenance.&nbsp; Will post some thoughts on Linea vs. GB5 steam valves.<br />-Spot has a new head roaster, Chad Maslanka, who is taking our coffee up a few notches.&nbsp; Michael Burke is head barista-ing at Cafe Bene in NYC.<br />-I'm about to launch a big, exciting, multi-pronged training program, expect lots of pics of the training center once it's done.<br />-2 Spot baristas, Jenn &amp; Alyssa, are going to be competing in the NERBC!<br />-I was <i>this close</i> to nabbing the trophy at <a href="http://www.joebeanroasters.com/">Joe Bean</a>'s recent throwdown.&nbsp; Good job Wade, and good job Joe Bean--great shop, tasty beans, good event.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x4C98CJcDCs/TygZ1-8i8eI/AAAAAAAAAS0/7KFzFV-scd8/s1600/IMGP5386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-x4C98CJcDCs/TygZ1-8i8eI/AAAAAAAAAS0/7KFzFV-scd8/s320/IMGP5386.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The throw-down's eventual champ preparing some Kyoto-style iced coffee.</td></tr></tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NscgszJXn0s/TygaJkjom5I/AAAAAAAAAS8/VQcezPZlHNY/s1600/IMGP5393.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NscgszJXn0s/TygaJkjom5I/AAAAAAAAAS8/VQcezPZlHNY/s320/IMGP5393.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Slingin' lattes on Joe's lever</td></tr></tbody></table>That's it for now!&nbsp; Busy busy busy here, but I am getting back on the blog train.<br /><br />Also, shout-out to my a really cool site I've been following: <a href="http://www.coffeehabitat.com/">http://www.coffeehabitat.com/</a> .&nbsp; Tons of good info, and written very accessibly.jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-17492429288771415172011-11-25T06:58:00.000-08:002013-03-06T07:13:15.628-08:00Making a cupping form(This post was originally intended to be the first for a blog over at <a href="http://www.spotcoffee.com/">Spot's Official Page</a>, but we're doing some reformatting, look for some official-type-posts from me over there.&nbsp; In the meantime, didn't want to let this one languish, because I'm pretty excited about this cupping form.)<br /><br /><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <o:OfficeDocumentSettings> <o:RelyOnVML/> <o:AllowPNG/> </o:OfficeDocumentSettings> </xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml> <w:WordDocument> <w:View>Normal</w:View> <w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom> <w:TrackMoves/> 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mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} </style> <![endif]--> <br /><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There always seems to be one area of coffee and coffee preparation that stands out to me for a given time period.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Last year was the “Year Of Use Scales All The Time, For Everything”: getting obsessive about figuring out the relationship between the taste of brewed coffee (and espresso) and the actual mass of coffee and water used to get there.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This year, if I had to pick a theme, it would be: “Cup Everything, All The Time.”</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I like doing things by the numbers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>If I’m baking something at home, I like the recipe to specify every ounce, every temperature, every time exactly—it’s a way for me to get a handle on it even if I’m not the most confident of bakers.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Learning about the objective parameters of good coffee has allowed me to brew coffee, and pull shots, a little more by the numbers. Getting a grip on the basics of brewing allows one to quantify some of the important parameters; just being consistent with how much coffee, how much water, and the brew time is enough to take you a long, long way towards significantly better coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>And you can do that with a decent scale and the stop-watch function on your phone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I’m hoping to get even more quantifiable data on brewing this coming year, using a refractmeter and maybe a better way to talk about ground particle size.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">All that said in praise of quantification, though, quality is really where it’s at: the subjective experience of what’s in the cup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Being in control of your basic variables is a great starting place, but it’s no guarantee that it will take you someplace tasty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>And the tools most of us have at our disposal—a scale, a stopwatch, a thermometer—are incredibly crude compared to our palates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The human olfactory and gustatory abilities, our senses of scent and taste, are fantastically precise and complex.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Something I say a lot in my trainings is: you can’t just go through the motions and assume that good drinks come out the other side.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I never trust that my current technique for making a cup of coffee in the morning, or pulling a shot of espresso in the café, is working that day, until I’ve had a taste.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The barista competition this last spring, and various spro/brew-downs, have really opened my eyes to how much fun “rapid dialing” is: getting a new coffee, making a shot or a cup with it, and having to use your sense of taste to quickly decide what you want to change in your preparation to improve the final beverage.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In addition, I’m always trying to improve my ability to accurately describe coffee, which makes me think a lot about what I’m actually tasting/smelling, even when it’s not coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I approach apples, beer, and mustard a lot differently than I did before I got serious about coffee.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So, although I’ll probably always be a “by the numbers” guy, and not some virtuoso who can just wing it, this year I’ve really tempered that with focusing on taste, and realizing that the information I can get with my palate is way more intense and, in many cases, way more relevant than any data I can get with other tools.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Working in the roastery, that dichotomy—numbers vs. taste—has been driven home a thousandfold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I can start with a green coffee that hopefully I know a lot about—what varietal it is, where and how it was harvested and processed, maybe the altitude of the farm and how that affects density.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>(It’s remarkably hard to get all that info for every coffee, and something we are always pressing for).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>And we can specify and record a lot about how it roasts: how big the batch is, what the loss percentage out is, and the drop temperatures. When the bean goes through certain phases in the time/temperature “recipe” is important and quantifiable, particularly when it reaches “first crack”. There’s even a special color system, the Agtron scale, to specify how dark it is at the end.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But none of that tells me how it tastes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>We always hope to figure out how all that information correlates to the taste, but we’ve still got to taste it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>And, in the roastery, that has some pretty big consequences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Are we happy with the roast profile?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Can we use this coffee in a blend?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>How do we describe it for customers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>When we’re sampling a new coffee, we have to figure out: do we like this enough to spend thousands of dollars on it, enough to put our name on it?</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So, tasting the coffee is pretty serious in the roastery, and we want to make sure do it in a way that’s serious, that provides some definite feedback that we can use, and that is fair to the coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The best coffee in the world will taste awful if you brew it wrong, on the one hand, but on the other hand we want to make sure that the way we’re brewing doesn’t obscure defects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Cupping is a formalized way of tasting coffee that tries to minimize variation in brewing and tasting technique as much as possible, so you can actually get a good idea of what’s going on in that coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Cuppings work better as a group activity, because multiple people are more likely to catch everything going on in the cup.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>And while people’s individual preferences vary, it’s remarkable how easy it is to reach consensus on a score with a small group of cuppers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>When I was at the MANE conference this past October, one of the cupping instructors put it very well: “The best evaluation won’t come from one supertaster; a group of experienced people with average taste abilities will do a better job.” </span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">To be really useful, a cupping needs to be accompanied by a form that everyone fills out separately, so you can compare notes at the end, and to make a record for future buying/roasting/brewing decisions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>(One of the biggest skills in coffee, I’m realizing, is just having a long memory of tastes and coffees you yourself have experienced; there’s no way to fake it or just read a book about it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>I imagine that’s true to some extent for wine and the culinary arts as well.)</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">But cupping forms are rough!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In a few different ways:</span></div><ul><li><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">They are often clunky and crammed full of things to fill out.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">That can make them intimidating for people to use, or difficult to fill out properly.</span></li><li><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">They need to balance objective and subjective evaluation along a few different axes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Just because you’re tasting something doesn’t mean “it’s a matter of taste.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A good cupper can separate intensity and quality from personal preference—but both are important to record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>At the end of a cupping with the roastery team, the most important question is: “are we happy?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Do we want to buy this, do we want to sell this?”</span></li><li><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">They need to yield some kind of score, probably numeric, but trying to cram the real world in a box always winds up shaving off corners more than I’d like—and can change the way you think about the subject in the first place.</span></li></ul><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There’s an additional quirky bit with cupping specialty coffee—by definition,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>“specialty grade” is supposed to be the top 20% of coffee, quality-wise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>That means that on a 0-10 scale, none of the coffees in Spot’s roastery should average out to less than 8—which means that I get pretty nervous marking any score less than 6.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>But a “10” acidity, for example, means I am literally having a hard time imagining it could be any better, which means I’m going to mark it very rarely.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>So even though it looks like a 0-10 scale, it’s very rare we’ll be marking outside the 6-9 range—and that in turn means we need to zoom in on those points, give half points and quarter points and so on.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It’s easy to forget sometimes that even the worst coffee we have on hand, if it’s specialty grade, is leaps and bounds ahead of genuinely bad coffee, the stuff we never even buy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>(Which is one reason I try to drink bad coffee every once in a while—bad chain coffee, ancient grocery store stuff, instant, etc.: helps keep perspective).</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">All those issues in mind, I’ve known for a while that we need our own cupping form to fill out and keep on record.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>After looking at the SCAA form, the Cup of Excellence form, Coffee Geek’s, Intelligentsia’s, etc., I had an idea what I wanted, but none of them were quite what I thought was appropriate.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>This week we’re going to be testing out the fairly simplified cupping form I’ve made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>It tracks:</span></div><ul><li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Aroma/Fragrance:</span></u></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> the dry/wet scents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>10pts for quality, with a space to record intensity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The complexity of coffee’s taste is primarily derived from volatile aromatics (gases), so scent is a major factor in appraising a bean.</span></li><li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Sweetness:</span></u></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>if it ain’t sweet, it ain’t good coffee. 2pts per cup. We do sets of 5 samples per coffee, so if all 5 are sweet it will be 10pts.</span></li><li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Acidity:</span></u></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Maybe the most commonly misunderstood term, acidity in coffee is a good thing; it’s the bit that reminds us that this comes from a tropical fruit! 10pts for quality, with a space to record intensity.</span></li><li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Body:</span></u></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Not a taste per se, this is the tactile “mouthfeel” of a coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Along with acidity, one of the core features of any coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Can range from thin or watery up to heavy, buttery, syrupy. 10pts for quality, with a space to record intensity.</span></li><li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Clean:</span></u></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> pretty self-explanatory, it’s the absence of dirty flavors (“earthy” if we’re feeling generous), and the clarity of the cup characteristics. 10pts.</span></li><li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Consistent:</span></u></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> Extremely important to us as buyers/roasters, since an inconsistent coffee can leave customers wondering what’s going on when it changes without us noticing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>2pts per cup, so if none of them are noticeably different from each other (whether or not we think they’re good), that’s 10 points for consistency.</span></li><li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Finish:</span></u></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>The “afterglow” of a coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A good finish either lingers pleasantly or vanishes cleanly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>10pts.</span></li><li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Balance:</span></u></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> How well the different parts play together, particularly acidity and body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Coffees with fairly mediocre qualities can still impress if they are well-balanced.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>10pts.</span></li><li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Defects:</span></u></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> This is the hardest category for me right now.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>There are a number of well-known, well-defined, definite defects that can occur in coffee for a number of reasons…and I haven’t encountered them all yet.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>A good example would be the “potato” defect that broke my heart out of a Burundi last spring.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>In this section, I’m just leaving us space to take off some points for things we can definitely point to as being “off.”</span></li><li><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Overall:</span></u></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> The cupper’s personal, one-number evaluation of the coffee.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>10pts, multiplied by 2.</span></li></ul><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Add all those up and we get a score out of 100, with room for comments on specific flavors or things we noticed. I’m really hoping that we’ll be able to build a better library of cupping records, to match up against buying and roasting decisions.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It sounds pretty dry, I know…but cupping coffee is one of my absolute favorite things about my profession.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Actually, cupping vies with Chemex &amp; espresso as my favorite way to DRINK coffee, it’s so much fun—you really get the feel of a coffee from start to finish, from all angles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>And it’s incredibly useful and vital to us as craft roasters.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Cupping sounds geeky, but there’s a really interesting thing that happens when you’re serving coffee to lots and lots of people: big groups of people are better at tasting things than any one person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>So what we’re doing, by getting very technical and focused in a cupping, is to get a feel for how the coffee will be perceived once it’s out being served to customers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>Is it ready, is it good enough, how do we talk about how good it is?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>That’s what we’re after.</span></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><br /></div><div class="MsoPlainText"><span style="font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">I run cuppings for new employees as a training exercise, and we’ve done a few public ones connected to jams and throw-downs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">&nbsp; </span>With our new roastery facility coming this spring, look for a lot more chances to join in!</span></div>jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-52627786829664941032011-10-13T07:01:00.000-07:002013-03-06T07:13:15.647-08:00A noble Fraternity/SororityIs there a better way to say that?<br /><a href="http://www.blogger.com/goog_689722491"><br /></a><br /><a href="http://www.baristaguildofamerica.net/instructors.html">http://www.baristaguildofamerica.net/instructors.html</a><br /><br />Very excited!&nbsp; Also I will be posting some stuff about MANE later this week, it went incredibly well this year.<br /><br />Other things I should probably write about:<br /><ul><li>Actually learning how to roast a bit, like, for real.</li><li>Compak K10 Fresh, the auto-doserless: I am in love I think.</li><li>Spot Coffee opening on Hertel!</li></ul>That last one is actually why this is so brief, I have to go jump into training with both feet.&nbsp; Brew strong my friends, I'll update soon!jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-85115146673039488312011-09-20T14:09:00.000-07:002013-03-06T07:13:15.670-08:00all grown upI take my tiny share of responsibility for creating this wonderful monstrosity.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowFullScreen='true' webkitallowfullscreen='true' mozallowfullscreen='true' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/ZlpU6rJVreI?feature=player_embedded' FRAMEBORDER='0' /></div>If you have any ability to vote for this man to go to Camp Pull-A-Shot II, please do so.jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-71660913406341636662011-09-16T20:26:00.000-07:002013-03-06T07:13:15.703-08:00Living on Borrowed...Roaster...Time?Hey!&nbsp; It's been a while!&nbsp; The coffee business in Buffalo has been pretty crazy-busy!&nbsp; And also, there is some cool coffee community stuff going on...<br /><br />That worked out in my favor when we had to do some big mechanical work on our roaster.&nbsp; We wanted to play it safe and get some more coffee roasted while the repairs were taking place, so we started asking around to borrow some time on another roaster.<br /><br />We wound up using the San Franciscan roaster of the Buffalo Coffee Roastery, in the main place mall!&nbsp; The staff &amp; owners were extremely friendly and helpful and I really can't thank them enough.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5arvkR6wsfI/TnQPPhD3RKI/AAAAAAAAASA/TyTAZ4mIZGo/s1600/IMGP4366.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5arvkR6wsfI/TnQPPhD3RKI/AAAAAAAAASA/TyTAZ4mIZGo/s320/IMGP4366.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />My end of the day was mostly logistics: weighing coffee out, binning it, loading and unloading the van, wheeling stuff hither and yon, getting Michael what he needed, trying to keep everything as clean and unobtrusive as possible.&nbsp; They roast on-site at this cafe, and there were tons of people coming through the shop.&nbsp; Very interesting--but I can see why they try to roast after the rush.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BG1y3Gmp0yU/TnQP9TKZI5I/AAAAAAAAASE/LrjMeFcO850/s1600/IMGP4364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-BG1y3Gmp0yU/TnQP9TKZI5I/AAAAAAAAASE/LrjMeFcO850/s320/IMGP4364.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Michael's job was doing <a href="http://roastersguild.org/">his wizardry </a>on an unfamiliar machine, focusing in despite lots of distractions.&nbsp; Pretty interesting to watch.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z8fTgpXBcts/TnQQTTO2YSI/AAAAAAAAASI/2DHzUePbQvo/s1600/IMGP4360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-z8fTgpXBcts/TnQQTTO2YSI/AAAAAAAAASI/2DHzUePbQvo/s320/IMGP4360.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />And quite the learning experience, given that all our experience is pretty much just on our one machine.&nbsp; We had to use different batch sizes, and Michael had to really tune in on every nuance of sound, sight, and smell.<br /><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RG4C59jUFWw/TnQQpNgwPCI/AAAAAAAAASM/Wju1zulDenQ/s1600/IMGP4368.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RG4C59jUFWw/TnQQpNgwPCI/AAAAAAAAASM/Wju1zulDenQ/s320/IMGP4368.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Air temp as we warm up</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>Really made us think about what we want out of a roaster.&nbsp; This machine is an interesting contrast to ours, because it has more controls--more ability to control heat--while having less direct information on conditions (no thermal probe to the drum).&nbsp; It's a pretty machine, though, and really ideal for this kind of in-shop operation.<br /><br />Also, we love love love the cooling tray.&nbsp; Better heat sinking than ours, more surface area, and the squeegee actually works.&nbsp; You have no idea how excited this made us.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A72QZJd-aFM/TnQRYEBcxhI/AAAAAAAAASQ/D_JMCPfpvsE/s1600/IMGP4372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-A72QZJd-aFM/TnQRYEBcxhI/AAAAAAAAASQ/D_JMCPfpvsE/s320/IMGP4372.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>A thousand thanks to Kate, the owner/roaster.&nbsp; I'm really hoping we can do some coffee events with these folks in the near future.<br /><br />Meanwhile, back at Spot...<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_d4ac2wmBc8/TnQRpt_RefI/AAAAAAAAASU/CXdYXRovwSs/s1600/IMGP4374.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_d4ac2wmBc8/TnQRpt_RefI/AAAAAAAAASU/CXdYXRovwSs/s320/IMGP4374.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />Turns out those bearings are really hard to get off sometimes!<br /><br />But, our Primo is back up and running, which is a major relief.&nbsp; We also found a really good technician through this whole process, and while Michael is quite handy at fixing &amp; maintaining most everything on it, it's nice to have a tech on call for the big jobs.<br /><br />In related news, Spot has started the long process of looking into upgrading our roasting facility...possibly including a newer, somewhat larger roaster.&nbsp; That has me &amp; Michael feeling like we're waiting for Christmas morning.&nbsp; It's probably going to be quite some time before we are actually on a new machine, given the complexity of selecting and installing one, but I look forward to reporting any progress there...<br /><br />Whew.&nbsp; It has been a long couple of weeks in the roastery.&nbsp; Lots of cleaning, lots of scrambling around, but it is shaping up.&nbsp; We've got two assistants now, Robin &amp; Marquita, as well as some occasional assistance from other interested baristas in the company.<br /><br />And!&nbsp; The <a href="http://www.manecoffee.com/">MANE Conference</a> is right around the corner, and <a href="http://www.baristaguildofamerica.net/camp.html">Pull-A-Shot</a> not long after that.<br /><br />That's all I have at the moment, friends.&nbsp; Brew strong.&nbsp; I will be updating more soon.jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-59573318656698884802011-08-06T06:40:00.000-07:002013-03-06T07:13:15.727-08:00Losing my trust in naturals...And why, friends?&nbsp; Variance.&nbsp; Particularly, whatever the heck kind of defects are afflicting this Ethiopian Guji we've got in.<br /><br />(Meant to post this a while ago actually; we're pretty much done with this Guji now.)<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dkWswNEtdFc/Tj1DoRdGxII/AAAAAAAAARk/yMI7-fOhRzE/s1600/IMGP3766.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-dkWswNEtdFc/Tj1DoRdGxII/AAAAAAAAARk/yMI7-fOhRzE/s400/IMGP3766.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />See all those lighter-colored beans?&nbsp; That's what I'm worried about.<br /><br />Now, with anything that's not a micro-lot, particularly with Ethiopian heirloom varietals (heirloom is code for "it's been growing here for a while and it's tasty but we don't really know what it is", I think), I'm not surprised to see a lot of variance.&nbsp; Different sizes and shapes of beans, different densities affecting the roasted color, etc.&nbsp; And I'm not freaked out about one or two defects: we're buying good coffee, but not the super high-end micro-lot stuff.&nbsp; Standing over the cooling drum and picking out a few weirdos isn't the end of the world.<br /><br />But this Guji was bothering me: too many light-colored beans.&nbsp; So, I spread it out and sorted it one day after all the production was done.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K1mx4N03d8k/Tj1DyufkfeI/AAAAAAAAARo/7gzImvTJ9cg/s1600/IMGP3773.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K1mx4N03d8k/Tj1DyufkfeI/AAAAAAAAARo/7gzImvTJ9cg/s400/IMGP3773.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Hand-sorting beans is oddly soothing if you're a little OCD and given to making up little songs about what you're doing.&nbsp; And if you feel like you don't get to use the word "winnow" enough.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lsN6LdSFfV8/Tj1D6T_RQiI/AAAAAAAAARs/aX8BUm2sd20/s1600/IMGP3769.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lsN6LdSFfV8/Tj1D6T_RQiI/AAAAAAAAARs/aX8BUm2sd20/s400/IMGP3769.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />And here's what I wound up with.&nbsp; Now there were a big range of beans I was pulling out-- elephant ears, popcorns, a few faced or charred beans, fragments-- but primarily I was paying attention to color, pulling out these light gold or straw colors.&nbsp; Some of them are quakers maybe?<br /><br />The spooky thing about this coffee is: there's so much variance, that the more you pay attention, the more it looks like you should pull more out.&nbsp; It's freaking fractal.&nbsp; You pull out all the super-obviously light beans, and then your brain resets its parameters, and then the pile looks like it still has a ton of light beans.&nbsp; So then you pull those out, your brain resets another shade, and on you go.&nbsp; Eventually, I would probably wind up with only like 10% of the original pile.<br /><br />And it would taste delicious.<br /><br />And speaking of taste: what to do with all these light beans? Well, I wanted to know what exactly they were doing to the cup, and to what extent.&nbsp; So the next day we set up a cupping with the unsorted beans, just the sorted, and just the defects.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iKkifa4wPaE/Tj1EEeI7fkI/AAAAAAAAARw/fGiDhECSxlk/s1600/IMGP3777.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iKkifa4wPaE/Tj1EEeI7fkI/AAAAAAAAARw/fGiDhECSxlk/s400/IMGP3777.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />Results: the cups that had the defects removed were definitely better, with cleaner, sweeter, more defined tastes and much less bitterness.<br /><br />The defects themselves were INTERESTING to cup.&nbsp; We were actually worried about our health for a second.&nbsp; Some of these are relatively minor defects, physical variances that caused them to take the roast differently.&nbsp; But a lot of them are issues in ripeness and/or fermentation (not sure how to tell on this end), and I think those are where the weirdness comes from.<br /><br />Nasty, weird, bizarre flavor.&nbsp; I've never encountered it isolated before, I don't think, but it's extremely distinct.&nbsp; Michael compared it to chewing on aspirin, which apparently I have never done.<br /><br />And even weirder than the gross flavors: the berries &amp; chocolate were still there, peeking out from under the nastiness.<br /><br />This experiment, plus our quality concerns, means that I've been putting aside some time to hand-sort at least the worst outliers from this coffee, which gets really fun after 30lbs or so.<br /><br />And the weirdest thing is: this is still one of my favorite coffees we've roasted all year.&nbsp; Phenomenal espresso bean, so much so that we're using it as an SO espresso for a local cafe here, Sweetness_7, and I'm super happy with the shots they're pulling.<br /><br />More so since I've started sorting.<br /><br />All I can think is: how much better would this be if it were picked better, sorted better, and, maybe the biggest thing: wash-processed to prevent fermentation variance?&nbsp; Wish I knew more about coffee at origin to talk about this, but comparing this coffee against good washed process beans we have in stocks, I can't get over the difference.<br /><br />Anyway that's my rant!&nbsp; I'm not trusting naturals much now, but maybe someone can change my mind...jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-722656782245551880.post-44936971983494630882011-08-04T13:28:00.000-07:002013-03-06T07:13:15.752-08:00What's on my brain<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PDZiNx6eLNc/TjsApwmmaJI/AAAAAAAAARg/IxmLX8k-0LE/s1600/IMGP4134.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PDZiNx6eLNc/TjsApwmmaJI/AAAAAAAAARg/IxmLX8k-0LE/s640/IMGP4134.JPG" width="424" /></a></div>jake casellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10700379201245273504noreply@blogger.com1